Project Goals

Addressing challenges of the site while also responding to the core values set forth by Atlanta City Design—Equity, Progress, Ambition, Access, and Nature.

Most American cities have discriminated against single occupancy dwelling arrangements. Long associated with transience and illegal behavior, SROs have been systematically marginalized by zoning codes that have favored the presumed stability of the nuclear family over other forms of habitation. This mid-twentieth century vision for stable communities is increasingly overshadowed by a more complex and diverse twenty-first century population that is not only living longer and getting married later (if at all), but also struggling with housing affordability.

These include elderly singles, college students or young college grads, the temporarily employed, disabled adults without families, and formerly homeless veterans, to name a few examples. These diverse populations are generally not well served by the housing stock in Atlanta and beyond, which almost exclusively is designed for families. Those who choose or need to live alone for convenience or affordability, generally must look for roommates, the odd basement apartment or other ad hoc arrangements which are not well represented in the real estate market.

Small dwelling units have been recently rediscovered as a viable housing type, sometimes called “micro units,” but mostly in dense high-rise and high-cost urban environments. We propose to adopt some of this trend, and to reestablish the link between modestly sized dwellings and affordability in a less rarefied low-rise environment.