Our History

Initiative was founded in 1990 by two Atlanta-area churches in response to the urgent needs of homeless women and children in the community. Using time-tested social work strategies, Initiative developed a long-term, comprehensive program to address the causes of recurrent homelessness for women with children. These women face the challenges of generational poverty, education and job training gaps, and family instability. From its founding, Initiative has committed to support vulnerable families for the long haul, through the many difficulties of achieving stability and financial independence.

  • 1990
    With one single family home and one homeless family, Initiative was founded by two local Presbyterian churches.
  • 1990 — 1996
    Funded by private donations from individuals, churches, and foundations, Initiative provided housing and comprehensive case management for homeless mothers and their children to help these families stabilize and develop the skills to live independently.
  • 1996
    Initiative purchased and rehabilitated its first multifamily housing complex, Prince Avondale Apartments in Avondale Estates.
  • 1997
    Initiative first received recurring grant funds from HUD to increase the scale of its operations and staff and began to purchase single-family homes from the foreclosure market to serve clients.
  • 2002 — 2004
    Initiative acquired and rehabilitated two additional properties—Sol Luna Park Apartments in DeKalb County and Kirkwood Gardens Apartments in the City of Atlanta—and used tax credit funding to build an 84-unit low-income senior housing property, Magnolia Circle Apartments.
  • 2017
    Initiative’s grant agreement with HUD concluded, and Initiative transitioned to philanthropic resources alone, temporarily reducing its service capacity while developing new fundraising strategies.
  • 2019
    Initiative’s Board of Directors adopted a new comprehensive three-year strategic plan to secure new funding sources, increase service capacity, and further develop Initiative’s social services, housing, and employment programs.

Media & Contact

©2020 Initiative for Affordable Housing, Inc. • PO Box 885, Scottdale, Georgia, 30079 • (404) 299-9979 • [email protected]