A year ago, Atlanta council man Andre Dickens pushed for an inclusionary zone along the Atlanta Beltline. The zoning rule would require even luxury apartments to keep a portion of their units affordable. This in turn would keep the Beltline in line with it’s original mission and from being 100% for the wealthy. However, as time passes, the city has yet to see any of these affordable units included along the area. Dr. Dan Immergluck comments on inclusionary zoning and construction along the Beltline with WABE radio.
The issue since the policy was approved is that developers have stopped building- for now. As Dr. Immergluck states, “Real estate markets go through cycles, and the city has seen over 30,000 apartments built in really about a five-year period,” he said. “So the cycle is just slowing.”
However, the year before the policy went into place permits spiked to nine. Immergluck said that likely represents developers rushing to avoid the regulation. In addition to this most new development projects have been concentrated elsewhere in the city, where the rule isn’t applicable.
“If anything, the ordinance was weakened severely,” Immergluck said, by constraining it to the half-mile around the BeltLine.
As a well known researcher in this area and Atlanta, Dr. Immergluck believes that if Atlanta wants to create more affordable housing, it should expand inclusionary zoning citywide.