T.I. Gives Back By Building Affordable Housing Including 25 Free Units For Unhoused Children
An increasing number of families in Atlanta now have the opportunity to live in affordable homes. This Tuesday, a new housing project was revealed by Atlanta’s rapper T.I., Mayor Andre Dickens, and several other organizations. They introduced 140 units located at the Intrada Building on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway.
Mayor Dickens mentioned, “When you listen to Tip’s album… he shouts out all the neighborhoods right around here.”
T.I. shared a humorous anecdote, saying, “I’m going to tell y’all a secret. Don’t tell nobody. I got caught stealing from this Kmart.” He was referring to a store that used to be in the neighborhood. He added, “I thought that, you know, just to offset the shame that came with that, it would behoove me to invest in the community by acquiring these properties.”
“The Rubber Band Man” is discussing his investment in this newly constructed building on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. He’s not the only one familiar with this area.
The community is a collaborative effort between the city of Atlanta, T.I.'s “Briarhouse Holdings,” and the Vecino group, according to the mayor and the rapper. T.I. mentioned that he was motivated by Killer Mike, a fellow native of West Side.
“He says, ‘If everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot,’” T.I. quoted.
Since 2017, numerous organizations have pooled their resources to create a secure environment for families struggling financially. RentCafe states that the average rent in Atlanta exceeds $1,800. Considering a ZipRecruiter survey that shows the average individual earns $34.21 per hour, the focus on developing affordable housing is understandable.
“Safe, quality, affordable housing is linked to what we value,” stated the mayor. “It’s not something a government can fix on its own.”
The goal is to construct, and even better, a community by “buying back the block.”
Over the past two years, the mayor reports that the city has established 3,200 affordable homes, with an additional 5,000 under construction. The mayor’s objective is to reserve 20,000 units for affordable housing.