Decatur Housing Authority Revitalizes Trinity Walk
DHA was faced with an extreme shortage of affordable housing .In their Trinity Walk property, DHA replaced 112 obsolete housing units, added 43 new affordable homes in a high-cost area (9 at Trinity Walk and 34 at Oakview Walk), solved HUD contractual concerns, and returned residents with minimized relocation that kept students in local schools.
DHA engaged and partnered with residents, neighborhood, City, and City Schools in creating a Transformation Plan that guided the successful revitalization of $30.9 million in new housing.
DHA planned a three-phase development using low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC) and DHA direct financing. Plans included the development of two sites with 156 total units.
The final site included 34 units, 7 of which are affordable market rate These market rate units enabled DHA to develop affordable workforce housing for the "missing middle".
The units and community space were constructed to the EarthCraft Multifamily and EarthCraft Community energy standards. A children's playground, community gathering area, new plantings and trees, and raised garden beds line the pleasant trails in the Greenspace created to protect the creek.
A central Greenway allows residents the ability to traverse the site without interacting with automobiles at most street crossings.
As a successful developer, DHA directly invested in its affordable housing, including $1.26 million in TW I and $1.35 million in Oakview Walk. DHA's development efforts are managed by its nonprofit, Preserving Affordable Housing Inc.
Students in Trinity Walk I and II participate in the DHA Board Scholarships. College bound high school seniors are eligible for initial scholarships of $500 to $3000 and yearly thereafter for $500 to $1000 per year. DHA has awarded over $570,000 to high school seniors over the past 30 years.
Students at Oakview Walk participate in the Community Improvement Fund, a $50,000 commitment to education and health initiatives by DHA for early childhood education, college scholarships, enrichment programs, and tutoring.
DHA worked with numerous partners, including: Gateway and Oakview Residents, City of Decatur, Hudson Housing Partners, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Don Dressel Development Consulting, Hemenway Construction, Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., McCurdy & Candler L.L.C., and Arnall Golden Gregory LLP was able make this three phase revitalization project possible.
The Housing Authority of the City of Decatur, Georgia was recognized by SERC-NAHRO with an Award of Excellence for its efforts to revitalize the Trinity Walk Property.