Community groups team up to create affordable single-family homes

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Two community organizations have teamed up to create affordable housing for vested members of Atlanta’s Westside community who are first-time home buyers.

City of Refuge and GROWTH, an initiative of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, broke ground this week on the construction of five homes on Burbank Drive.

The idea is to give first-time buyers a chance to achieve their dream of homeownership.

“It’s really exciting and energizing to them to know that on this property, they’re going to build a home from the foundation up that reflects them and how they want it to look and gives them an opportunity for the future,” said Bruce Deel, founder and CEO of City of Refuge.

“The majority of those that are going to live in these homes will be first-time homeowners in the history of their family,” Deel said. “So now you’re building generational wealth and opportunity for their children and grandchildren down the road.”

Construction is set to begin in a couple of weeks.

Rebekka Schramm

Rebekka Schramm

Emmy award-winning journalist Rebekka Schramm reports weekdays on Atlanta News First from 4:30 to 7 a.m., 9 a.m., and 12 p.m. She also reports from 7 to 9 a.m. on Atlanta News First’s sister station, Peachtree TV.