Early in July, the Fulton County Commission considered withdrawing from the Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD) — a move that would disrupt deeply affordable housing developments already underway in neighborhoods that played defining roles in the Civil Rights Movement.

As I shared with the Commission, I live in Vine City. Every day, I see what coordinated public investment has made possible: new high-quality and affordable homes, safer streets, and legacy residents able to stay in place despite rising property values. These neighborhoods endured decades of systematic disinvestment. The Westside TAD has been one of the few tools powerful enough to help reverse that trend.

Working alongside partners like Invest Atlanta, Atlanta Housing, and Quest Community Development Corporation, Westside Future Fund has leveraged over $6 million in Westside TAD commitments to finance more than $37 million in development — a 6-to-1 return that has created nearly 400 affordable housing units and served hundreds of families. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about the people who can now remain in the communities they love and have called home for generations.

These transformative investments include:

• Major historic restorations like 220 Sunset Avenue — the childhood home of Mayor Maynard Jackson Jr. — and the English Avenue Yellow Store, preserving landmarks central to the community’s story.
• Mixed-use developments delivering high-quality, deeply affordable multifamily housing paired with commercial spaces to bring essential retail and services to long-disinvested corridors.
• Permanently affordable single-family homes that create pathways to homeownership and generational wealth-building for historic Westside families.

The voices raised at the July Fulton County Commissioners meeting were compelling. Pastor Kenny Alexander of Antioch Baptist Church North — one of our neighborhood’s oldest institutions at 148 years — spoke powerfully about the progress finally taking hold. Leonard Watkins, representing the neighborhood planning unit, captured the frustration of communities that have waited generations for this investment. Their words were a powerful reminder that the TAD is a lifeline for communities working hard to reclaim their future.

Thanks to these community advocates, civic leaders, and city partners like Courtney English, Chief Policy Officer and Senior Advisor to Mayor Andre Dickens, and Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President & CEO of Invest Atlanta, the Fulton County Commission unanimously voted to place the resolution on hold. This pause gives us the opportunity to continue building understanding about what’s at stake — and how we can work together to sustain this progress.

At Westside Future Fund, our mission is to help make the historic Westside “a community Dr. King would be proud to call home.” The Westside TAD is a critical tool in that broader effort. It is helping to deliver deeply affordable housing, preserve legacy residency, and ensure these historic neighborhoods have a vibrant future.

We are grateful for the thoughtful deliberation of the commissioners and the unwavering advocacy of our community partners. The work continues — and together, we can ensure that the promise of the historic Westside is kept for generations to come.

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John Ahmann
President & CEO
Westside Future Fund