This month, Invest Atlanta released its 2019 Annual Report, highlighting the year’s successes across several key programs, including affordable housing, neighborhood redevelopment and small business development. 

Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President and CEO of Invest Atlanta, emphasized Invest Atlanta’s continued commitment to increasing prosperity for all Atlantans: “This ideal of social and economic equity is so fundamental to who Invest Atlanta is as an organization that we officially introduced our first equity statement and equity core value, which serve as the foundation for all the work we do.” 

Key highlights from 2019 include:

Invest Atlanta facilitated $233 million towards affordable housing.  Using strategies such as income averaging and co-living, Invest Atlanta is able to help effectuate deeper levels of affordability and added housing options. Additionally, the organization is working together with city leaders on a $1 billion investment to both create and preserve 20,000 units by 2026.  

Invest Atlanta provided $14 million in tax allocation districts grants (TADs) to boost development and revitalize communities throughout Atlanta. Through TAD grants, entrepreneurs are able to assist in the revitalization of communities including historic districts like Sweet Auburn. Of the 14 TAD projects Invest Atlanta facilitated in 2019, there were 237 affordable housing units and 749 jobs created with the total economic impact totaling $226 million.  

On the business front, Invest Atlanta doubled down on its Southside strategy in 2019 with new initiatives. Through the Southside Small Business Fair, Accelerate Southside, the Community Wealth Building Accelerator and other programs, Invest Atlanta is helping position the Southside for new investment and business growth. Business attraction and retention activity was steady. In 2019, Atlanta added 19 new companies through Invest Atlanta’s business attraction efforts, generating 2,547 new full-time jobs.  Additionally, 15 businesses expanded their Atlanta operations, adding more than 2,261 new jobs and $621 million to the local economy.

Read Invest Atlanta’s full 2019 Annual Report here