HOUSING & ECONOMIC PRESSURE
The Economic Forces Driving Displacement
HOUSING WEALTH INEQUALITY
17.4%
of housing wealth held by Black households despite being 47% of population
$220K
lower average home values for Black homeowners
100K+
unit affordable housing shortage in Atlanta
Additional Housing Crisis Facts
- 12+percentage point homeownership gap
Black households fall 12+ points below city average in homeownership rates
- 50%+of renters are cost-burdened
More than half of renters spend over 30% of income on housing, with Black renters facing the highest burden
- 65%of Black renters are cost-burdened
Nearly two-thirds of Black renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs
💡 WHAT THIS MEANS
Black families hold only 17% of housing wealth despite being nearly half the population. The $220K home value gap means Black homeowners have less equity to pass to future generations. TAD extensions can fund down payment assistance, affordable housing development, and homeownership programs to close this gap.
COST BURDEN CRISIS
What is Cost Burden?
A household is considered cost-burdened when it spends more than 30% of its income on housing costs (rent or mortgage + utilities).
Households spending more than 50% are considered severely cost-burdened.
The Impact on Black Families
When families are cost-burdened, they have less money for:
- • Healthcare and medicine
- • Nutritious food
- • Children's education
- • Emergency savings
- • Building generational wealth
RAPID PRICE APPRECIATION
Between 2000 and 2020, property values in historically Black neighborhoods skyrocketed, making it impossible for long-time residents to afford rising property taxes and forcing renters out as landlords raised rents to match market rates.
+300%
Average price appreciation in gentrifying neighborhoods
2-3x
Property tax increases for long-time homeowners
⚠️ THE DISPLACEMENT MECHANISM
Rising property values → Higher property taxes → Homeowners can't afford to stay → Forced to sell → Wealthier buyers move in → Neighborhood demographics shift → Black community displaced.
💡 See the full picture
Return to Displacement Data to see how these economic forces translate into population loss