Stories

Investigative reporting and community storytelling about the cost of living in metro Atlanta

“I have to penny-pinch on what I eat”: Three college students struggle with affordability

Shannay Porter

Nov 25

“I have to penny-pinch on what I eat”: Three college students struggle with affordability

In Atlanta, housing is limited, expensive, and often far from campus. That can mean long commutes, tight budgets, and tough choices.

We asked Atlantans to tell us more about their communities

Heather Buckner

Nov 15

We asked Atlantans to tell us more about their communities

Here's what they shared

For decades, Gwinnett County has struggled to expand public transportation. Could microtransit help?

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?

Caregiving is “the work that makes all other work possible.” It’s also underpaid, undervalued, and in need of investment.

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

From free groceries to mental healthcare, mutual aid means building community—and political power

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

What does it cost Atlanta to have so many parking spaces? A lot

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?

How one Atlanta pop-up baker gets things done

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...

Why isn’t affordable housing . . . affordable?

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.

4 takeaways from a recent Senate hearing on negligent landlords in Georgia

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

What makes a state a good place to do business? (And what does that mean for workers?)

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.

On Buford Highway, a little grocery store with a big mission

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

Christmas is over. But Santa still has to make a living.

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.

For seasonal employees, short-term work has its ups and downs

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.

“Your life doesn’t start in the U.S. until you have reliable transportation”

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.

(Most) everything you need to know about Housing Choice Vouchers, aka Section 8

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.

A senior sees Bankhead progressing—and leaving folks behind

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

Rising property taxes have complicated this artist's retirement plan

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

A full-time caregiver navigates rising rent, aging family, and parenthood

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

How do Georgia’s eviction laws impact me?

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?

Understanding TADs and TIFs, the financing tricks that transform cities

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?

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Investigative reporting and community storytelling about the cost of living in metro Atlanta

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