Balancing Growth and Affordability: The Complexities of Rezoning in Athens-Clarke County

​​Hi, my name is Faith Tucker, and I am a first year student and member of the policy analysis group here in Arch Policy Institute. Today, I’m going to cover Item 9 from the Commissioner Meeting’s Agenda. 

During the meeting, Scott Haines, the Director of Landscape Architecture and Planning at W&A Engineering, presented a proposal to rezone a region to build a mix of residential and commercial properties (agenda item 9, 23:15). The proposal includes multi-family housing, mansion-style townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, cottage-style homes, and single-family housing. The proposal faced sharp criticism  among the commissioners, particularly District 9 Commissioner Ovita Thornton and District 3 Commissioner Tiffany Taylor, who worry these luxury properties might exacerbate the affordable housing crisis plaguing Clarke County.

Athens has struggled to address the increasing scarcity of affordable housing available, with a 2023 report showing housing prices increased around 20%, with approximately 11,000 Athens’ renters being “housing stressed” or spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Additionally, the median rent is $1,214, but the median renter can, according to ACC Housing and Community Development Department criteria, only afford to pay $733. With luxury student housing units and over 800 Air B&Bs taking up limited Athen’s land, long-term residents are detrimentally impacted by the housing needs of the University. 

Thornton expressed her concern that while developers should make a profit, they should not exacerbate homelessness or displace middle- and lower-income residents. She urged the commission to revisit inclusionary zoning policies to ensure affordability in new developments (agenda item 9, 26:23 in the live stream).

Taylor, on the other hand, requested a list of surrounding counties where increased developments have led to reduced rent prices. She mimicked many of Thornton’s worries, emphasizing that new developments could make Athens even less unaffordable for many working residents (agenda item 9, 31:35). Public comments highlighted similar concerns. Bennie Coleman requested more transparency regarding the cost and definition of mixed-density housing. 

In the end, the meeting saw the approval of several items for the consent agenda, including the controversial rezoning request. These items will be voted on in the next regular session meeting on March 4. 

This meeting underscores the ongoing struggle to balance economic growth while also considering the need for affordable housing in Athens. As the community continues to grow, it will be crucial to address these concerns to ensure that all residents have a place to call home.