Heather Buckner
We asked Atlantans to tell us more about their communities
Here's what they shared
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Stories
Investigative reporting and community storytelling about the cost of living in metro Atlanta
Timothy Pratt
Oct 8
For decades, Gwinnett County has struggled to expand public transportation. Could microtransit help?
Next month, Gwinnett will ask voters to approve a countywide rideshare system.
Heather Buckner
Sep 17
We won!
Atlanta Civic Circle and Canopy Atlanta received a national award for the Cost of Living Project
Iris Brooks, CoL fellow
Sep 9
ADU 101
What do guesthouses and granny flats have to do with the housing crisis in Atlanta?
Sam Worley
Sep 6
Caregiving is “the work that makes all other work possible.” It’s also underpaid, undervalued, and in need of investment.
This week, a bus tour advocating for caregivers made its final stop in Atlanta—the birthplace of the domestic workers’ movement
Jesse Pratt López
Sep 4
From free groceries to mental healthcare, mutual aid means building community—and political power
Mutual aid isn’t charity—it’s about creating a culture of collectivity. Here’s how organizations are putting that philosophy into action.
Florencia Tuchin
Aug 8
Waste not, want not
FoodCommune rescues food from landfills to help feed the community
Julie C. Thompson
Jul 30
“We’re the ones struggling”
In the wake of a water crisis, Atlantans take a closer look at the city’s priorities
Eric McCoy
Jul 23
My Point of View: Campbellton Road
13-year-old Eric McCoy shows us around his neighborhood
Rachel Garbus
Jun 27
What does it cost Atlanta to have so many parking spaces? A lot
Nearly 30 percent of downtown is covered in parking spots. Here’s why that’s a problem—and what Atlanta can do about it.
Ada Wood
Jun 10
The least of these
How is the Christian church responding to Atlanta’s cost of living crisis?
J.P. Irie, CoL fellow
May 24
Housing Crisis: The Game
At a recent housing affordability workshop, participants put themselves in the shoes of an Atlanta renter. Things got complicated.
J.P. Irie, CoL fellow
May 6
From the ground up
Here’s how the City of Atlanta is trying to build (or preserve) 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030
Angie Tran-Uddullah
Apr 23
Behind closed doors
My family escaped the perils of renting in Georgia. What about the tens of thousands of people who can’t?
Teresa Finney
Apr 15
How one Atlanta pop-up baker gets things done
With the rise of pop-up shops, small businesses are increasingly going beyond the brick-and-mortar. The new model offers a low barrier to...
Heather Buckner
Mar 27
Join us for our first ATL Living Lab
Our new event series is part block party, part charrette with interactive exhibits and expert panels designed to demystify the...
J.P. Irie, CoL fellow
Mar 22
Why isn’t affordable housing . . . affordable?
How the government determines “fair rent,” where it fails, and why you suffer
Sophia Qureshi
Mar 21
“We don’t have enough to keep it going”
A program providing driving classes to refugee and immigrant women is on hold due to lack of funds
Abby Ann Ramsey
Mar 14
The changing face of harm reduction
The Cooper Center works to reduce risks associated with homelessness, mental health crises, pregnancy, and substance use.
J.P. Irie, CoL fellow
Mar 7
4 takeaways from a recent Senate hearing on negligent landlords in Georgia
U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff listened as tenants described unsanitary and dangerous conditions in the places where they lived
Sam Worley
Feb 16
What makes a state a good place to do business? (And what does that mean for workers?)
For the 10th year, Georgia is the country’s “top state for business.” Here’s the story behind the superlative.
Ryan Zickgraf
Feb 15
The great divide
Fulton County's property tax system exacerbates inequality between the north and south—and between Atlanta’s richest and poorest homeowners.
Sam Worley
Feb 7
On Buford Highway, a little grocery store with a big mission
The Little Bodega is a free grocery pop-up that models a new way of feeding families in need
Naya Clark, CoL fellow
Jan 31
Christmas is over. But Santa still has to make a living.
During the holidays, André is the Black Santa of Atlanta. For the rest of the year, he’s a firearms safety instructor, a husband, and a dad.
Tim Perry
Jan 18
Listening Insights: Year in Review
The Cost of Living Project has spoken to hundreds of people (from 54 zip codes and counting). Here’s what we’ve learned so far.
Rachel Garbus
Dec 24, 2023
For seasonal employees, short-term work has its ups and downs
Holiday work no longer means ringing up purchases at the department store. Still, there’s room for the occasional Santa. It’s a busy...
Ada Wood
Dec 21, 2023
When givers can’t give
People are donating a smaller share of their income than at any point in decades. But Atlantans are still finding other ways to help.
Sophia Qureshi
Dec 15, 2023
“Your life doesn’t start in the U.S. until you have reliable transportation”
Driving lessons are hard to come by. These nonprofits are working to give immigrants and refugees mobility in car-dependent metro Atlanta.
Sam Worley
Dec 8, 2023
15 ways to give this holiday season
Here are a selection of the best opportunities to give a little money from around the Atlanta area.
Muriel Vega
Oct 17, 2023
(Most) everything you need to know about Housing Choice Vouchers, aka Section 8
The program waitlist is open for the first time since 2021—but only for a few days. Here are the FAQs about HCVs.
Jewel Wicker
Oct 17, 2023
A senior sees Bankhead progressing—and leaving folks behind
Vanessa Alexander stays rooted in her community with a prayer line, Bible studies, and neighborhood cookouts
Jewel Wicker
Oct 13, 2023
Rising property taxes have complicated this artist's retirement plan
Susan McCracken on the importance of community—and her dream of moving to the mountains
Jewel Wicker
Oct 10, 2023
A full-time caregiver navigates rising rent, aging family, and parenthood
Woolridge's new home is “a land of opportunity,” a center of “Black excellence,” and a healthcare desert
Heather Buckner
Sep 12, 2023
Meet the Cost of Living fellows
Members of our inaugural fellowship cohort will support the reporting needs of the project—and pursue stories of their own
Heather Buckner
Sep 12, 2023
Join the Cost of Living Project!
We're giving 8 teens $100 (+ a disposable camera) each to photograph their neighborhood
Genia Billingsley, CoL fellow
Sep 8, 2023
Hope for a Post-it note
A lifelong Grove Park resident on what it’s like to be caught in a gentrification feedback loop
Muriel Vega
Aug 16, 2023
How do Georgia’s eviction laws impact me?
How many rent payments can I miss before my landlord can evict me? If I’ve been evicted in the past, can landlords automatically reject me?
Ryan Zickgraf
Aug 16, 2023
Understanding TADs and TIFs, the financing tricks that transform cities
In Atlanta, the TAD program has been credited for billions of dollars in assessed property value growth since the program began in 2001
Kendall Glynn
Jun 15, 2023
What rights do I have as a tenant?
Georgia has some of the weakest tenant protections in the country. But, tenants still do have rights. Here is some advice from experts.
Ryan Zickgraf
May 31, 2023
The long road home
Developing housing is a complex and multi-step process that can take several years. Here’s a flowchart explaining why.
Sean Keenan
May 31, 2023
What is rent control?
"Rent control” is on a list of phrases that make developers, investors, and landlords wince. But what does the term actually mean?
We Need You.
The Cost of Living Project is fueled by your stories about the price we pay to live in metro Atlanta. Share your experiences with us by filling out our survey or submitting your story through our My Two Cents form.
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