Community leaders, residents, and partners gathered Wednesday on Atlanta’s Historic Westside to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the new City of Refuge Transformation Center, a three-story facility designed to bring housing, health services, food access, and economic opportunity together under one roof.
Mayor Andre Dickens joined City of Refuge Founder and CEO Bruce Deel, Invest Atlanta leaders, and community partners for the ceremony at 1343 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard.
The Transformation Center includes 25 affordable housing units, a mental health clinic, a small business and entrepreneurship hub, a credit union, and a grocery store, addressing several core needs for families and small businesses in the surrounding neighborhoods.
During remarks, Mayor Dickens reflected on the Westside’s deep role in Atlanta’s history and emphasized the importance of reinvesting in communities that have long contributed to the city’s culture, faith, and economic strength. He noted that the center represents a holistic approach to neighborhood reinvestment, focused on helping residents build long-term stability and opportunity.
City of Refuge has served the Westside for nearly 30 years, providing housing, education, health care, and workforce support to individuals and families overcoming homelessness, incarceration, and addiction.
The City of Atlanta and Invest Atlanta supported the project through targeted investments. Invest Atlanta President and CEO Dr. Eloisa Klementich highlighted funding dedicated to affordable housing and expanded food access as part of the development.
City leaders connected the Transformation Center to the Mayor’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative, which focuses on strengthening communities block by block while ensuring residents can benefit from growth without being displaced. The project also supports the City’s goal of creating or preserving 20,000 units of affordable housing by 2030.
