DeKalb District 2
Housing
Affordable Housing Initiatives
DeKalb County is facing a housing crisis due to rapid population growth, high construction costs, and very low production of new housing. The result is a shortage of affordable housing.
Between 2020 and 2023, the median home sale price rose by 49%. Rents also increased during this period, so that now more than half of renters are cost-burdened, using more than 30% of their income for housing costs.
How We've Addressed This Crisis
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, in partnership with the CEO’s office, has addressed this crisis in the following ways:
- Legislation resolving to create a Comprehensive Housing Plan passed in 2024
- Legislation funding a feasibility study for a Community Land Trust passed in 2025
- Legislation resolving to create an Affordable Housing Fund passed in 2025
- Appointment of DeKalb County’s first Chief Housing Officer in 2025
Commissioner Spears and the District 2 office sponsored all three of the above legislative initiatives.
Under the guidance of the new Chief Housing Officer, DeKalb County will develop and implement a comprehensive, coordinated approach that will include innovative public-private partnerships and new financial tools to support housing affordability.
The success of these initiatives will be measured by an increase in affordable housing stock that will support diverse communities.
Comprehensive Housing Plan
New Housing Resolution
On August 27, 2024, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution introduced by Commissioner Spears to develop the first ever DeKalb County Housing Plan to be incorporated into the County’s Comprehensive Plan. The legislation was composed of two parts: first, a detailed set of key components to be included in the plan, and second, an allocation of $250,000 from the 2024 County Budget to support development of the plan.
Key Components of The Housing Resolution
- Comprehensive Gap Analysis: Identifying specific housing affordability needs across the county to guide targeted solutions.
- Increased Housing Supply: Strategies to boost the production of new, affordable housing and preserve existing units.
- Cross-Sector Collaboration: Engaging public and private stakeholders to leverage resources and drive effective housing solutions.
- Community Engagement: Incorporating input from residents across DeKalb to inform and shape local housing initiatives.
- Policy and Funding Innovations: Streamlining processes, reducing costs, and introducing new financial tools to support housing affordability.
Community Land Trust Study
On October 14, 2025, The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution sponsored by Commissioner Spears to allocate $122,000 from the County Budget to support a feasibility study that will provide the framework for creating a DeKalb County Community Land Trust.
Community land trusts (CLTs) are nonprofit organizations that acquire and steward land for long-term community benefit. By separating ownership of the land from the ownership of homes built on it, CLTs help stabilize neighborhoods, ensure permanent affordability, and prevent displacement. Homeowners lease the land under their homes at a minimal cost, making homeownership more accessible while keeping housing prices stable for generations.
The Board’s action marks a significant first step in aligning county resources to build an inclusive and resilient housing ecosystem.
Affordable Housing Fund
On November 10, 2025, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution sponsored by Commissioner Spears to establish an Affordable Housing Fund. This fund will provide financial resources dedicated to the creation, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing.
The resolution authorizes creation of a fund using up to 2% of the county’s annual budget for affordable housing programs.
Eligible uses of the fund will include:
- Creation and preservation of affordable rental and homeownership opportunities, particularly for low- and moderate-income households.
- Rehabilitation of existing housing stock to maintain long-term affordability and livability.
- Facilitation of housing-related services and infrastructure that improve access to safe, stable housing.
- Funding emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing solutions connected to supportive programs/services for individuals and families that are underhoused or experiencing homelessness.
- Acquisition and redevelopment of blighted properties for housing opportunities.
- Piloting innovative solutions that advance the production and preservation of affordable and attainable housing.
Designed to be phased in over a three-year period, the Affordable Housing Fund will begin with resources from the county general fund and will pursue state and federal grant opportunities, philanthropic funding, and other sources to capitalize and grow the fund.
Housing in District 2
Housing affordability is a significant concern in District 2. Although District 2 has some of the most diverse types of housing in DeKalb County, it also has some of the most expensive housing, with higher housing values and rents than other areas of DeKalb and the region as a whole. Commissioner Long Spears has championed several initiatives to help tackle the challenges residents face in finding attainable housing, including zoning changes to allow for smaller houses by right, a county-wide housing fund, and a DeKalb County Land Trust.
Housing Characteristics of District 2
According to the 2019-2023 American Community Survey, close to 58 percent of housing units in District 2 are owner-occupied, while nearly 43 percent are renter occupied. District 2 and DeKalb have almost exactly the same owner/renter split, but both have significantly lower concentrations of owners than does the region as a whole.
District 2 has, however, seen a modest increase in owner-occupied housing since 2010, bucking the trends experienced in both DeKalb County and the 11-county Atlanta region.
District 2 also has a diverse housing stock when compared to DeKalb County and the 11-County Atlanta region. District 2 has higher proportions of “missing middle” housing, an important piece of the affordability puzzle many residents encounter. While District 2 has lower percentages of stand-alone single-family units, it has higher percentages of “missing middle” housing, i.e. duplexes, triplexes and quadraplexes, along with units in 5-9 unit structures, as well as apartment-style units.
However, District 2 has also seen the greatest decline in missing middle housing, while experiencing significant increases in larger apartment complexes. Diversification of the housing stock will continue to be a high priority.
Housing Costs in District 2
Housing affordability is a significant issue in District 2. The median sales price in 2024 was just under $585,000 in 2024, significantly higher than in both DeKalb County and the 11-county Atlanta region. Since 2018, the median sales price has increased by $145,000, pricing many families out of homeownership in the district. The number of overall home sales is relatively low in District 2.
Rents are high, too. The latest American Community Survey shows that the median monthly rent in District 2 is $1,775, higher than in both DeKalb County and the 11-county Atlanta region.
Housing Affordability in District 2 (Cost-Burden)
One of the primary ways to assess housing affordability is to look at “cost-burden.” The Census defines a household as cost-burdened if that household is spending more than 30 percent of income on housing costs. Thus, two factors go into this measure: income and housing costs, either rent or mortgage. Typically when discussing affordability, we focus on the cost-burden of renters, not owners. Both, however, are important. For District 2, because of the relatively high incomes, the cost-burden of renters is relatively low when compared to DeKalb County and the 11-County Atlanta region. However, the percentage of renter households who are cost-burdened has increased 4.8 percent since 2010 in District 2, a rate that is higher than in both DeKalb County and the 11-County Atlanta region.
But when you look at different income levels, almost all of the extremely low-income renters (those making less than $50K per year) are cost-burdened. These households do not have a well-developed safety net. They may be just one or two financial shocks away from eviction and possibly homelessness.