On Wednesday morning, the Decatur Housing Authority celebrated the groundbreaking of phase two of Village at Legacy, the first ground-up, attainable housing community targeting Decatur families in decades.
Sixty-six units were completed during phase one, and another 66 units will be built with phase two. When the 132 unit development is done, it will transform Decatur and underscore the community’s commitment to growth and revitalization while creating solutions for affordable housing.
“We believe that modern, safe, and stable, containable housing is not a luxury for a few, but a right for all of us,” said Larry Padilla, the chief executive officer and executive director of the Decatur Housing Authority.
Over a hundred people attended the groundbreaking to get a first look at the development and hear remarks from local leaders such as Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, CEO of DeKalb County; Patti Garrett, Mayor of the City of Decatur; Doug Faust, former executive director of Decatur Housing; and Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson.
Johnson addressed the housing affordability crisis, highlighting that 30% of single-family homes in Atlanta are owned by private equity firms and emphasized why housing development like Village at Legacy is so important.
“We must think globally, but we must act locally,” Johnson said.
Padilla called the audience to action with the insistence that there must be more support for working families and investment in policies and partnerships that promote long-term affordability and attainability. ,
“We cannot stop at one project, Padilla said. “Let Village at Legacy Park serve as a model, not an exception. Let it be the beginning, not a capstone, to our partners, advocates, elected officials, and most importantly, to the residents who will soon call this community home.”