Even with rain in the forecast, the energy was undeniable at Atlanta City Hall on Monday afternoon as city leaders, housing partners, and community advocates gathered to celebrate a major step forward for affordable housing.
With a ceremonial dirt toss just steps from the People’s House, Mayor Andre Dickens joined partners to officially break ground on Trinity Central Flats—a transformative 10-story development set to bring 218 affordable homes to the heart of South Downtown.
“This is how we move from talking about solutions to building them,” said Mayor Dickens. “Right here at our front door, we’re creating housing, stability, and opportunity for the people who keep Atlanta moving forward.”
A front-door solution to a citywide priority
Located directly across from City Hall at 104 Trinity Avenue SW, Trinity Central Flats represents a strategic investment in housing where it’s needed most—close to transit, jobs, and essential services.
- 218 affordable residential units for households earning 50%, 60%, and 80% of Area Median Income (AMI)
- 20 supportive housing units reserved for residents transitioning out of homelessness, with affordability at or below 30% AMI
- A mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments
- More than 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail to activate the surrounding streetscape along Shirley Franklin Avenue
Importantly, the housing will also be accessible to City of Atlanta employees, helping more workers live closer to where they serve.
From parking lot to possibility
The project stands as a powerful example of how Atlanta is rethinking its assets to meet urgent needs. The site—once a City-owned parking lot—has been repurposed into a development that will directly benefit residents.
Through collaboration with Radiant Development Partners, Invest Atlanta, federal and state housing agencies, and philanthropic and private-sector partners, the project came together as what the Mayor described as a true “group project.”
“As Chair of Invest Atlanta’s Board, I’m proud of how we use public-private partnerships to drive our housing strategy,” Dickens said.
Part of a bigger vision for Atlanta
Trinity Central Flats is more than a single development—it’s part of a broader push to address housing affordability across the city.
Atlanta has already surpassed 13,000 affordable units created or preserved toward its goal of 20,000 units by 2030, a cornerstone of the Mayor’s housing strategy.
The project also aligns with the City’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative (NRI), which targets historically underinvested areas for coordinated improvements in housing, infrastructure, and transit.
“This is one of the neighborhoods where we’re focused on making sure investment shows up in a real, connected way,” Dickens said.
Housing with access, dignity, and opportunity
Steps from MARTA, major bus lines, Georgia State University, and the State Capitol, the location of Trinity Central Flats reflects a deliberate focus on opportunity-rich environments.
It also sits near organizations that serve Atlanta’s unhoused population—making the inclusion of supportive housing units especially meaningful.
“These 20 units build on the heart work that’s at the center of all we do,” Dickens said.
Building Atlanta forward—together
With more than 100 stakeholders in attendance—including federal, state, and local leaders—the groundbreaking marked both progress and partnership.
From housing advocates to financial partners, the moment underscored what’s possible when Atlanta aligns around a shared goal.
“Together, we’re building a better Atlanta—a city that works for everyone,” Dickens said. “And this project, right here beside the People’s House, embodies that commitment.”
