Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ new Atlanta Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative (NRI) comes with a bold promise — an end to Atlanta's “tale of two cities.” The phrase refers to the stark contrast between prosperity and poverty in Atlanta, where skyscrapers and massive corporations stand just miles from blighted neighborhoods. Announced on Sept. 30, the $5 billion plan aims to transform the underserved parts of the city with extended transit, new affordable housing, trails, greenspaces and public infrastructure improvements.
The initiative aims to reinvest in Atlanta’s various communities and address entrenched economic disparities. However, many important details of the plan remain largely unknown, such as the allocation of the raised revenue. Given Atlanta’s long history of ambitious but flawed urban reinvestment projects, Dickens must reflect on Atlanta’s past failures to avoid repeating mistakes, especially given the broad scope of the project and the potential consequences of diverting funds from other public services such as the Atlanta Public Schools System.
The Atlanta NRI depends on tax allocation districts (TAD) to fund its projects. TADs will enable the City of Atlanta to issue bonds to finance public improvements, then repay the loans at a later date using property tax revenue that the increased property value would generate. The specifics of the plan remain vague as officials have not clarified who the TADs will be sold to or who will be contracted to oversee the projects. In Atlanta, there are currently six established TADs, all of which are set to expire within the next five to 13 years. To finance the Atlanta NRI, the lifetime of these TADs would have to be extended to 2050 — an action that would require the approval of the city council, Fulton County and the Atlanta Public School system.
According to Emory University Professor and Department Chair of Political Science Michael Rich, while the TADs would allow the City of Atlanta to invest in its neighborhoods without depending on federal funding, this self-reliance comes at a cost. The new infrastructure detailed in the NRI plan would generate additional property tax revenue, which can then be used to repay bonds issued to fund development in the targeted neighborhoods and downtown Atlanta. Rich said that until these bonds are repaid, the benefits of additional property tax revenue will be focused on the areas outlined in the plan, rather than the typical beneficiaries: the City of Atlanta, Fulton County and Atlanta Public Schools System.
“The school system is already starved for revenues for both capital improvements to the various schools as well as programmatic investments,” Rich said. “This will certainly have an impact on education spending in the future.”
Apart from concerns surrounding the efficacy of TADs, urban revitalization plans risk gentrification and displacement as rising property values can price out residents if poorly implemented. The city’s most recent major urban development project, the Atlanta Beltline, was initially touted as a model for equitable development, promising affordable housing, accessible transit and sustainable green spaces. Yet, as property values along the Beltline skyrocketed, many of the residents the development aimed to serve were forced out. Just this summer, transit advocacy group Beltline Rail Now called upon Dickens to “recommit” to building sustainable, accessible transportation across the affected area.
Atlanta has a long history of lofty, yet unsuccessful, urban development efforts. For example, in the mid-1990s, the city received $250 million in federal funding to revitalize its impoverished neighborhoods. The project, called the Atlanta Empowerment Zone, promised growth, prosperity and the bridging of economic divides. Instead, the mismanagement of funds, corruption and the hiring of consultants disconnected from the target communities contributed to the Zone’s shortcomings. As such, Atlanta ranked among the weakest performers of the six cities that received urban renewal funding.
Comparatively, model cities that have successfully revitalized struggling neighborhoods maintain long-term momentum and incorporate resident feedback, rather than relying on a one-off reinvestment effort that instates acute improvement. According to Rich, these models often involve a “quality of life planning process.” By combining input from residents of target areas with coordination among nonprofits and other organizations with shared goals, local governments can create mechanisms for communities to track progress, provide feedback and hold leaders accountable. Without these key relationships, reinvestment initiatives stagnate.
Given these insights, if Dickens hopes to avoid the pitfalls of past Atlanta initiatives, he must prioritize transparency with the public and strong governance. TADs are notoriously opaque as funds have little council oversight and budgets are not readily accessible to the public. Atlanta citizens deserve regular reporting on the management and application of NRI funds.
The TAD neighborhoods are home to Atlantans who have weathered decades of disinvestment, redlining and predatory housing markets. Emory University, as an anchor institution with students residing in and around Atlanta, has a stake in these neighborhoods’ futures. The University’s properties in Druid Hills, Ga., Decatur, Ga., and across Atlanta shape surrounding housing markets and influence zoning and infrastructure decisions. In addition, having also contributed to the neglect and gentrification of these neighborhoods, Emory carries an obligation to address and repair the harm to the affected communities. Given Emory Healthcare’s reach across Atlanta, students should urge the University to take a more active role in revitalization efforts — a strategy that has proven successful in cities such as Philadelphia, where partnerships with institutions like The University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University (Pa.) contributed greatly to urban renewal.
Dickens’ vision for a united Atlanta is one worth believing in, but the city’s residents, universities and civic organizations must make sure his promises result in progress that lasts. Students living in neighborhoods targeted by the NRI must engage by providing feedback to their representatives and participating in meetings hosted by organizations like the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board. Those seeking to be further involved can volunteer with community organizations and nonprofits in affected neighborhoods, such as Hands on Atlanta or TogetherATL, which work to represent local neighborhoods. Furthermore, as the Atlanta mayoral election on Nov. 4 approaches, students need to stay informed and critical of candidates’ follow-through. Do not let flashy promises blind you to the past’s proven truths — Atlanta’s “tale of two cities” can end, but only if every voice, including ours, stays involved.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of The Emory Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Editorial Board Editor Carly Aikens, Shreya Aithal, Ananya Jain, Mira Krichavsky, Wayne Liang, Eliana Liporace, Pierce McDade, Niki Rajani, Robyn Scott, Noah Stifelman, Ilka Tona, Meiya Weeks and Crystal Zhang.
Correction (10/9/2025 at 6:46 p.m.) A previous version of this article incorrectly credited the Atlanta Beltline with calling "upon Dickens to “recommit” to building sustainable, accessible transportation across the affected area." The article has been updated to correctly attribute the call to action to the organization Beltline Rail Now.
