This fall Westside Future Fund (WFF) sold homes to two residents with key ties to the historic Westside. This represents nine single-family home sales for the organization in 2023.

Nicola Jackson closed on her home in September. She has been a resident of Vine City, one of the five neighborhoods in WFF’s service footprint, for over a decade. Jackson is also a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School; her daughter is a student attending Spelman College.

“I know I’m in a better position to own a home in the neighborhood I never want to leave,” said Jackson. “My whole life is in this community and I can’t see myself elsewhere in Atlanta.”

Jackson now owns a three-bedroom, 2 bathroom home in English Avenue.

Dr. Kimberley Hundley is also a new homeowner in the English Avenue neighborhood. Like Nicola Jackson, Dr. Hundley has lived on the Westside for over a decade in the Atlanta University Center community. She is a Clark Atlanta University alum and also works at City of Refuge’s House of Cherith as a behavioral health specialist.

“I think having my home here in the community gives me a bigger investment in where I work, what I do, and how I provide care to clients,” said Hundley in an interview with City of Refuge. “If I’m going to be working with you and walking with you on your journey for healing, and I live in the same way you do, it’s more of an intimate relationship.”

Dr. Jackson now owns a two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom home.

Learn more about how you can support Home on the Westside through WFF’s capital campaign Our Next Chapter.

 

 

Community members and business leaders convened at The Gathering Spot October 20 for the Transform Westside Summit. The program began with a moving devotion from N’Dieye Danavall, English Avenue resident and homeowner through Westside Future Fund’s signature program, Home on the Westside. 

Following the devotion, Reverend Winston Taylor, legacy Westside resident, local preacher and founder of The Beloved Community Inc., took the stage to discuss the activation of St. Mark’s AME Church. He was joined in conversation by WFF President & CEO John Ahmann. 

Located at the intersection of Cameron Alexander and James P. Brawley in the English Avenue neighborhood, St. Mark’s Church was originally opened in 1895. It was abandoned in 1948, following a catastrophic fire. Taylor purchased the property in 1997, despite substantial challenges. The church, once a symbol of a thriving community, had fallen into disrepair and misuse due to changing demographics and drug-related issues. Taylor recognized the suffering in the neighborhood and felt called to make a difference. His efforts to acquire the church were marked by his unwavering faith and determination.

Key Moments from the Conversation

Pastor Taylor was born in Carver Homes but later moved to the Old Fourth Ward. His journey led him to invest in various neighborhoods, including English Avenue, in the 80s. His passion for helping those in need, inspired by his own upbringing, eventually led him to the ministry. Interestingly, he was mentored by Reverend Cameron Alexander.

Taylor’s work focused on bringing order and safety to the area, which in turn led to hope and transformation for the people there. He cleaned up the area, removed trespassers, and emphasized the importance of addressing financial needs rather than engaging in unnecessary conflicts.

He has partnered with SCAD Serve to explore the preservation of the church and the potential for activation. The community has been actively involved in this process, and the vision to activate the space. He envisions St. Mark’s Church as a community center, offering childcare, support services, and a gathering space for neighbors. Taylor stressed the need for safe places where people can socialize and interact in underserved communities. He also highlighted the opportunity to provide food trucks with a legitimate place to operate, allowing individuals to transition into lawful businesses. Winston shared that he plans to have the space activated by spring 2024. 

Recognizing its historical importance, the church was designated a landmark earlier this year by the City of Atlanta’s Urban Design Commission.

It was announced at the Summit that the Beloved Benefit has awarded $100,000 to the Beloved Community Inc. to help support the activation of St. Mark’s. 

Miss the event? Watch the full Transform Westside Summit on YouTube.

Westside Future Fund (WFF) would like to thank everyone who attended our second annual Ride for the Westside. WFF was honored to partner with Quest CDC for this year’s event where 450 people registered – more than doubling attendance from last year. Corporate partners, community leaders, residents, and families joined together on Saturday, September 30 on the historic Westside for a morning of family-friendly events including an 11-mile bike loop, 5K run, a Peachtree Road Race Qualifier, and a walk.

WFF and Quest CDC would also like to thank actress, singer, Real Housewives of Atlanta star, and founder of the nonprofit DREAMAKERS Drew Sidora who served as our emcee for the day.

If you missed this year’s event check out the recap below.

WFF is a place-based organization focused on compassionate and equitable neighborhood revitalization on the historic Westside. Its service footprint includes English Avenue, Vine City, Ashview Heights, Atlanta University Center, and Just Us. The median household income for residents within WFF’s service footprint is just under $35,000.

You can support Westside Future Fund’s mission to equitably revitalize the historic Westside through Our Next Chapter campaign. With $55 million in philanthropic support, WFF will be able to build on this progress and leverage an additional $45 million in low-cost financing from its Impact Fund. An additional $10 million in public grants will help the organization finance:

• 285 multifamily units, of which 185 will serve families at 60% Area Median Income (AMI) and less.
• 225 single-family homes with accompanying income-qualified down-payment assistance, and
• Supporting the Anti-Displacement Tax Fund to help legacy resident homeowners stay in the community

Consider joining WFF as a philanthropic partner or volunteer to build a community Dr. King would be proud to call home.

 

 

In a pivotal moment for the YWCA of Greater Atlanta, a 121-year-old institution dedicated to supporting women and their families, the organization’s leadership chose Danita V. Knight as its President and Chief Executive Officer last fall. Knight, who succeeded the retiring Sharmen Gowens, started with the organization in January, and is now nine months into her new role.

Knight has a long history of deep-rooted involvement in Atlanta’s civic circles, underscoring her dedication to community improvement. She has formerly served as Board Chair of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, participated as a “seed funder” to bring the WNBA Dream to Atlanta, and is Vice Chair of the Brookhaven Social Justice, Race, and Equity Commission. “I have focused on bringing attention to the needs of women and girls for most of my life, either intentionally or just because it was the right thing to do,” said Knight. “This work is a personal ministry of mine that I am committed to for life.”

Knight comes to the YWCA of Greater Atlanta at a critical time for the organization as it works to expand and optimize its program offerings and locations, including the reopening of the historic Phillis Wheatley YWCA in the Historic Westside in collaboration with Westside Future Fund, CHRIS 180, Families First, Morehouse School of Medicine, and YMCA of Metro Atlanta. As of today, the organization is planning to reopen the facility by 2025, and well on its way with over $5.5 million raised of their $19.5 million campaign goal. “By virtue of bringing back the Phillis Wheatley Westside YWCA, we will be solely dedicated to serving the needs of women and their families in the Westside,” said Knight. “The concept is to work with our collaborators to provide wraparound services to women and their families, with the goal of tending to the needs of the “whole woman.” This unique approach is extremely exciting because we are focusing on an area of Atlanta where between 50 and 60 percent of women are heads of households, and that same percentage lives at or below the poverty line.”

The building that once housed the Phillis Wheatley YWCA has been shuttered since 2015. Before that time, it was used as an early learning center, a school, and a women’s shelter. During its days as a YWCA, the Phillis Wheatley building served as a social and civic gathering place for Black Atlantans and provided space for essential services advancing the health and education goals of Westside residents. Since its closing, those services largely dissipated from the community, contributing to a lack of key social support resources in the historic Westside for women and their families.” Data and research show that there is a void of services in the Westside for women and their families,” said Knight. “Additionally, we have gone out and talked to women on the Westside to ask, ‘what do you need?’ The model that we have produced – the wraparound services model – is the result of those conversations. We need to ensure that we are creating something that has been affirmed by women on the Westside of Atlanta.”

The YWCA of Greater Atlanta offers a comprehensive list of programs and services to women. Four core programs form the essence of their mission, ensuring that women and children have access to the health and education resources they need from the earliest days of their youth well into adulthood.  The YWCA Early Learning Academy (ELA), which Knight says is often “mistaken” for a daycare center, offers children far more than just a place to stay while their parents are working. “Our ELA Academy is a place of preparation,” said Knight. “We accept children from six weeks to five years of age. By the time our children leave for kindergarten, they are reading, writing, and ready to excel,” said Knight. “When the Phillis Wheatley YWCA reopens in 2025, we will be able to offer 85 slots to families for their children on the West side of Atlanta, 68 of whom will receive tuition assistance on a sliding scale based on need.”

Women advance their professional skill sets in the Digital Skills Academy (DSA). This eight-week program provides women ages 18 to 40, and in some cases older, with essential digital knowledge and skills that can be applied to empower their lives; and enhance their careers. “Program participants receive laptops, hotspots, headshots, resume and career support, financial literacy, and follow-up guidance after they move on from the program,” said Knight. “There is also a ‘ripple effect,’ where graduates of this program become mentors to incoming students, the next cohort. We have had so many success stories and living-wage job placements thanks to this program.”

That same age group of women may also participate in EncorePlus, a wellness initiative focused on providing underinsured Black and Latina women with breast health education and access to diagnostic services, including mammograms. This year alone, more than 500 women across Atlanta participated in this program.

The Georgia Women’s Policy Institute provides participants with the education and resources to make a difference in their communities as public policy advocates – on behalf of women and their families. Women from around the state come together each year to participate in one of two cohorts: Economic Empowerment and Education or Reproductive Justice. By the end of these sessions, participants are prepared to effectively address issues with elected officials and advocate on behalf of women and their families locally, at the statehouse, and nationally.

Knight says that there are plenty of ways for people to support the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. “We have had so many people say, ‘I see what you are doing in the community and want to volunteer. We are enhancing our volunteer process so that people may have multiple options. At the end of the day, everyone may contribute to our work. Please visit our website and reach out to me, or any of our team members,” said Knight.  “We do not take your calls or emails for granted and will follow up. There is space at our table for everyone.”

To learn more about the YWCA of Greater Atlanta, visit https://ywcaatlanta.org/.

Westside Future Fund (WFF) is pleased to announce that the Home on the Westside rental property waitlist has reopened for applicants! 

Local residents with ties to our Historic Westside community can now apply for a chance to be placed in one of the organization’s high-quality, affordable rental properties. This comes as WFF is set to complete 33 new units this year, with another over 90 new units set to complete in 2024 and 2025.

The application process is simple and easy:

1. Explore available rental options at https://www.westsidefuturefund.org/homeonthewestside/.
   
2. Complete an intake survey including questions that establish ties to the Historic Westside community. Examples of ties to the community include: 
   • Currently or previously living in the community
   • Currently or previously working in the community
   • Children currently enrolled in the Atlanta Public Schools Washington cluster
   • Graduated from an Atlanta University Center (AUC) institution or Booker T. Washington High School
     
3. Receive a follow-up call from a member of the WFF team to confirm information provided in the survey. 
4. Wait to be matched to your new home!

For questions and assistance, please contact home@westsidefuturefund.org. 

About Home on the Westside

Westside Future Fund (WFF) created the Home on the Westside program as part of the organization’s commitment to community retention, working to ensure that long-time residents can benefit from revitalization efforts in the historic community.

In collaboration with the City of Atlanta, and the support of philanthropic, corporate and community partners, we want to provide safe, quality housing that is attainable for all residents.

Our vision is to cultivate a community Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud to call home. We want to see a thriving Westside where all residents can live long, healthy lives.

Westside Future Fund hosted a fireside chat to provide an update on its “Our Next Chapter” capital campaign. Launched officially on August 2, 2023, this campaign is aimed at raising philanthropic funds to support charitable initiatives for the development of land holdings acquired over the past few years. With $55 million in philanthropic support, WFF will be able to build on this progress and leverage an additional $45 million in low-cost financing from its Impact Fund. An additional $10 million in public grants will help the organization finance:

• 285 multifamily units, of which 185 will serve families at 60% Area Median Income (AMI) and less.
• 225 single-family homes with accompanying income-qualified down-payment assistance, and
• Supporting the Anti-Displacement Tax Fund to help legacy resident homeowners stay in the community

Panelists explained the campaign’s purpose, its intended impact, and concluded with an overview. 

Panelists included: 

• John Ahmann, President & CEO, Westside Future Fund
• Rachel Carey, Chief Real Estate Officer, Westside Future Fund
• Derrick Jordan, Real Estate Development Consultant

The event began with a compelling testimonial video featuring individuals who had participated in one of three service areas for WFF’s signature affordable housing program “Home on the Westside.”

Westside Future Fund’s was established as a place-based non-profit focusing on equitable neighborhood revitalization on the historic Westside. WFF’s service footprint includes English Avenue, Vine City, Ashview Heights, the Atlanta University Center and Just Us. The organization has championed four impact strategies: safety and security, community health and wellness, cradle-to-career education, and mixed-income communities. WFF is now intentionally pivoting its focus to the development of quality affordable housing to ensure a mixed-income community where legacy residents and those with live, work, learn connections to the historic Westside can take part in its prosperous future.

Historically, the Westside has experienced significant disinvestment. WFF’s initial challenge was raising sufficient funds to acquire land for redevelopment. To address this challenge, a groundbreaking partnership with 10 Atlanta corporations was formed. This partnership established an Impact Fund that provided low-cost loans to Westside Future Fund for land acquisition and development, with a commitment to return the funds over 15 years. This collaboration served as a crucial enabler for WFF’s work, allowing it to acquire land for deep affordability initiatives. Due to the success of the Impact Fund, WFF now owns enough land to meet its housing development targets established in 2017: 1,500 high-quality, affordable units serving families at 60 percent AMI and less, 250 new single-family homes with down payment assistance for mortgage-ready buyers, and the establishment of the Anti-Displacement Tax Fund for legacy resident homeowners. 

Panelists recognized the contributions of various philanthropic partners who played a vital role in enabling progress. The neighborhoods under Westside Future Fund’s focus had experienced significant shifts in population over the years, primarily due to historical factors, such as Jim Crow, segregation, and economic changes. Despite these challenges, these communities had a rich history of intellectual, business and faith leadership.

The Summit highlighted WFF’s efforts in acquiring blighted properties for redevelopment and its commitment to deep affordability, emphasizing that these initiatives aimed to restore the neighborhoods to their thriving historical states rather than creating something entirely new.

Panelists pointed out key achievements, including the development of various community assets such as new parks, housing initiatives, job training programs, and historic property preservation. The emphasis was on community retention, ensuring that existing residents could afford to remain in their neighborhoods as redevelopment occurred.

The presentation also delved into WFF’s land acquisition efforts, which included purchasing vacant or blighted properties to repurpose them for high-quality, affordable housing. Several case studies were presented, showcasing successful housing initiatives and their positive impacts on residents.

Westside Future Fund highlighted its significant land holdings in English Avenue and Vine City, illustrating its readiness to meet its deep affordability targets. To fund initiatives like down payment assistance, WFF announced the availability of $55 million from various sources, including public grants and philanthropic contributions.

The event concluded by presenting images of planned housing developments in English Avenue and other areas, emphasizing WFF’s commitment to creating high-quality, affordable homes.

You can learn more about WFF’s Our Next Chapter campaign here. 

You can watch the full Transform Westside Summit on YouTube. 

Colette Haywood’s connection to the Westside is lifelong. Though she grew up in Flint, Michigan she recalls spending summers in Atlanta, as a young girl — taking ballet classes at the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA and attending the opening ceremonies for the Morehouse School of Medicine. She met her partner at Morehouse College, where he was a student, and they eventually held their wedding ceremony on the college’s campus.

Returning to Atlanta as an adult, Haywood, an alumna of Morris Brown College, moved to the historic Westside and has lived there for decades. When she initially started the process of trying to purchase a home, she looked at properties in her then neighborhood of English Avenue. The housing market was so competitive, however, she found herself repeatedly being outbid by purchasers with cash offers. Frustrated with the housing market, Haywood decided to apply for Westside Future Fund’s (WFF) Home on the Westside program.

The organization’s signature quality affordable housing program has three service areas: rental housing, homeownership, and property tax releife for legacy residents through the Anti-Displacement Tax Fund. Home on the Westside prioritizes residents with “live, work, and learn” connections to the historic Westside. “The fact that I had priority as a resident because I hit all of the checkmarks, took that factor [being outbid for homes] out of it,” said Haywood.

This summer Haywood became the first resident in WFF’s Home on the Westside program to purchase a home in Vine City. To date, home sales for the organization have been primarily in the English Avenue neighborhood. For Haywood, finding her home in Vine City is meaningful because it’s the community where she’s lived for the last decade, and also has so many personal connections to her and her family. Haywood says she’s grateful for WFF’s approach to helping legacy residents stay in their communities.

“People who are really involved in the neighborhood, all of us have our own individual relationships with the staff at Westside Future Fund,” said Haywood. “It extends beyond just getting you into the program.”

With many of her packing boxes put away, Haywood is now looking forward to decorating and designing her space filled with African art, books, and keepsakes from special moments in her life including the tiara she was given when she was crowned Miss Morris Brown College 2018 – 2019. She’s also looking to continue her professional work and personal life’s mission to be a resource for youth and families in her community.

To learn more about WFF’s Home on the Westside visit here.

While Atlanta Ballet’s graceful performances have enchanted audiences for decades, there is a lesser-known but equally compelling story unfolding behind the scenes. Their recent endeavors have extended beyond the world of pirouettes and pliés as the Westside-based organization is embracing a new kind of performance – one that’s centered around giving back to the community they hold dear.

Tom West, Executive Director at Atlanta Ballet, moved to the city two years ago to assume his role with the organization, bringing with him over 20 years of experience in performing arts organizations across the nation leading development programs focused on supporting performers and the communities in which they live and work. Recognizing the value of bonding beyond the performance stage and ballet studio, West decided to lead his team on a journey that transcended dance and focused on community service. His aim was clear: create an experience that unites their staff and faculty around a shared purpose – a purpose that didn’t revolve around ballet but rather around the community they aspire to uplift.

It was amidst this backdrop that the partnership between Atlanta Ballet and Westside Future Fund began to take shape. West, having just moved and being unfamiliar with the community, reached out to current and former Atlanta Ballet stakeholders for leads on where to get started – which is when he met Virginia Hepner.

Hepner, a current WFF Board member and impassioned Atlanta Ballet supporter, played a pivotal role in bringing these two organizations together. With her guidance, the ballet’s leadership connected with the Westside Future Fund’s staff to understand their innovative and impactful initiatives.

“We went over for a meeting with WFF’s leadership team to learn more about the work that they are doing there, which turned out to be incredibly innovative and really powerful,” said West. “We got really excited thinking about how we could develop a meaningful relationship to help. When we started thinking about how we should volunteer, my first call was to the Westside Future Fund. Virginia is so passionate about the organization, it was hard not to share that same passion.”

With excitement and determination, the Ballet reached out to the Westside Future Fund to explore volunteer opportunities. WFF introduced them to M. Agnes Jones Elementary, a school with a need for volunteers to enhance the experience of their annual field day event for students. Eager to contribute, the ballet team jumped at the chance.

For two years running, the Atlanta Ballet team immersed themselves in the experience. Kids, faculty, and volunteers joined together for activities including relay races, tug of war, cornhole and more. For Kelly Tonina, Centre Administrative Director at Atlanta Ballet, it was a day to remember. 

“I’ve been to the volunteer field day at M. Agnes Jones both years, and both times it’s been so much fun. It’s just awesome to watch hundreds of little kids running around and having a good time. You can’t help but enjoy hearing the laughter of kids and seeing them be active and just having a good time,” said Tonina. “Myself and all of our colleagues were spread out with different tasks and it was a great time to see each other out of the office. Our artistic director was helping the kids at tug of war. It was so hilarious. I’d never seen him in that element before.”

What truly made this experience remarkable was the partnership between the Atlanta Ballet team and the school’s faculty. Working side by side with educators, the ballet staff saw a different side of their colleagues, allowing everyone to shed their professional roles and simply have fun together. This unique interaction demonstrated the profound impact of coming together for a shared cause.

Beyond the immediate impact of the volunteer work, the Atlanta Ballet team’s involvement with the Westside Future Fund has also offered them a deeper understanding of the fabric of Atlanta. Through their collaboration, they’ve come to appreciate the intricate aspects of the city, forming connections that extend far beyond the dance stage.

“Still being new to Atlanta, I’m learning a lot about the history and the geography of the city. The introduction that Virginia and the Westside Future Fund team did for me was a real gift,” said West. “Just understanding the makeup and dimensions of this particular part of the city.”

Atlanta Ballet’s commitment to the Westside community extends beyond field day, however. Their partnership with Hollis Innovation Academy, offering dance instruction at no cost, exemplifies their long-standing dedication to their neighboring communities.

“I’m impassioned for the area just because of what the Westside Future Fund is trying to accomplish, rebuilding the community in a way that people who live there can stay there and have a better place to raise their families,” said Tonina. “I appreciate that the Atlanta Ballet is a part of this community and I think it’s a great opportunity for us to branch out and let people know that we are here and we support them, especially right in our backyard.”

To learn more about Atlanta Ballet, visit https://www.atlantaballet.com/. 

This month, Westside Future Fund (WFF) launched its $55 million capital campaign Our Next Chapter to support the completion of its quality affordable housing targets by 2028.

As Atlanta’s Westside continues to attract attention from local and national developers, there is an urgent need to ensure quality affordable housing options. WFF is a place-based organization focused on compassionate and equitable neighborhood revitalization on the historic Westside. Its service footprint includes English Avenue, Vine City, Ashview Heights, Atlanta University Center, and Just Us. The median household income for residents within WFF’s service footprint is just under $35,000.

WFF now owns enough land to reach its overall mixed-income goals established in 2017: 1,500 high-quality, affordable units serving families at 60 percent AMI and less, 250 new single-family homes with down payment assistance for mortgage-ready buyers, and the establishment of the Anti-Displacement Tax Fund for legacy resident homeowners. Its land acquisition has followed the priorities identified by historic Westside residents, community leaders, and stakeholders in the 2016 Westside Land Use Framework Plan, which was unanimously passed by the Atlanta City Council.

 

The organization’s progress to date includes 646 completed multifamily units, WFF owns 214 rental units with another 121 units under development and scheduled for completion by 2025. WFF has helped 35 families purchase homes, and provided property tax assistance to 133 legacy residents.

With $55 million in philanthropic support, WFF will be able to build on this progress and leverage an additional $45 million in low-cost financing from its Impact Fund. An additional $10 million in public grants will help the organization finance:

• 285 multifamily units, of which 185 will serve families at 60% Area Median Income (AMI) and less.
• 225 single-family homes with accompanying income-qualified down-payment assistance, and
• Supporting the Anti-Displacement Tax Fund to help legacy resident homeowners stay in the community

“Our land acquisitions to date, reflect the priorities of the community,” said John Ahmann, WFF’s President & CEO. “In this next chapter of our work, we’re intentionally focused on moving faster to develop more quality affordable housing. This is necessary as market forces continue to drive up the cost of land and housing. It’s critical to build the affordability into these developments at the outset.”

Through its signature program Home on the Westside, WFF’s community retention guidelines prioritize legacy and future residents with live, work, and learn connections to the historic Westside. The program’s three service areas include single-family homeownership, rental housing, and property tax assistance for legacy residents. You can hear more from the residents WFF serves here.

Read more about WFF’s Our Next Chapter campaign in this recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, or listen to this interview on 90.1 WABE-FM’s Closer Look with Rose Scott.

To learn more about how you can support WFF’s Our Next Chapter campaign, email: John@westsidefuturefund.org.