Reynoldstown residents push back against supportive housing for homeless

A developer’s plan to construct everlasting supportive housing in Reynoldstown for individuals transitioning out of homelessness is dealing with pushback from neighbors over issues about parking, site visitors and the mission’s design.

Why it issues: The battle raging greater than a yr over the three-story improvement deliberate for 111 Moreland is a “way forward for Atlanta” trifecta: cries of NIMBYism, questions on how Atlanta can scale back homelessness and wake-up calls in regards to the metropolis’s rising pains.

Particulars: Stryant, the native developer behind tasks like Academy Lofts in Adair Park, desires to construct 42 1-bedroom models for an individual making roughly $12,000 a yr. Atlanta Housing, the town’s housing authority, will cowl a number of the tenant’s lease.

• The roughly 280 square-foot models would every have a toilet and kitchenette. Every flooring would have a standard kitchen and an open studio or shared area on the highest flooring.
• The mission would have proximity to MARTA, medical companies, grocery shops and jobs and embrace on-site workers and wraparound companies, the developer says.

Of be aware: Stan Sugarman, the co-founder of Stryant, says the workforce has cobbled collectively funding and support from native, federal and nonprofit sources — a few of which think about neighborhood assist when making selections, therefore Sugarman’s ongoing talks with residents.

The opposite aspect: At a Reynoldstown Civic Enchancment League assembly on March 2, residents stated Stryant stored tweaking its plans over time (the developer informed Axios they usually up to date the neighborhood).

• They are saying the proposal would pack too many individuals in models that have been too small in a constructing with too little parking on property with out sufficient outside widespread area — all on a extremely congested street.

“I do not assume anybody right here is towards inexpensive housing,” stated one neighbor. “That location just isn’t constructed for it. The road just isn’t arrange for that.”

Sure, however: Cathryn Vassell of Companions for Residence, the nonprofit that can place tenants on the PSH facility, stated at Thursday’s Regional Housing Discussion board that residents elsewhere have proven assist for small numbers of inexpensive supportive housing models.

• With out mentioning 111 Moreland by identify, Vassell famous that when residents see 40 models proposed for individuals leaving homelessness, they make arguments “cloaked in elevated site visitors, issues of security, stating that model new housing for homeless individuals just isn’t dignified.”

“We all know what the actual points are,” she stated. “We use that phrase on a regular basis — NIMBYism — however I do not assume we take it to coronary heart in the case of our neighborhood. How will we stand [up to that] and the way will we reply?

Catch up fast: A part of the disagreement stems from the property’s historical past. In 2019, RCIL supported a unique developer’s plan to construct a 4-story rental constructing with 20 models at 111 Moreland.

• The plan fizzled and the developer offered the land to Stryant, which has the OK beneath present zoning to construct even larger if it needed.

What they’re saying: Residents reject the argument that NIMBYism was behind their opposition, saying they have been supportive of different inexpensive housing developments within the neighborhood.

What’s subsequent: The RCIL is scheduled to offer its thumbs up or down at a gathering Monday.