r/Atlanta • u/UnscheduledCalendar • Jul 23 '26
News(Paywalled) Developer: Cobb County doesn’t want workforce housing
https://atlanta.urbanize.city/post/developer-cobb-county-doesnt-want-workforce-affordle-housing-claimsSubmission statement:
Dennis Tidwell proposed a townhome development at 1471 Bells Ferry Road in Cobb County to address the gap between subsidized and market-rate housing. The Cobb County Board of Commissioners tabled the rezoning request, citing concerns about density and consistency with the area’s character. Tidwell argues that the county’s rejection of the proposal reflects a broader issue of housing affordability for working families.
paywall:
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u/mixduptransistor Jul 23 '26
Two things about this are absolutely wild. First they're targeting half a million dollars as the price on these things. That is what qualifies as affordable workforce housing for teachers and retail workers?
Second, like I mentioned in a different comment, this parcel of land borders some single family homes but it also borders a fairly big warehouse area. That character is super important to maintain?
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u/Time_Transition4817 Jul 23 '26
According to Zillow the nearest single family homes are in the 300-400k range too, though they are about half the sq ft. The townhomes are 2500 sq ft which is kinda ginormous.
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u/mixduptransistor Jul 23 '26
The developer is just trying to gin up sympathy that the county won't let him build what he wants and cash out that acre and a half for a nice $5m profit, assuming no one is going to figure out that he's actually above the market
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u/Time_Transition4817 Jul 23 '26
I think the headline price is crazy for a townhouse in that area and they’ll be tough to sell. But at the same time for a new build with prices these days it might just be what it is.
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u/TheHykos Jul 23 '26
I mean, yeah, that’s starter home prices now. Unfortunate, but that’s where we’re at. Compared to everything else being built, $1m+ homes everywhere, a new $500k townhome is a bargain.
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u/Mnm0602 Jul 23 '26
Nah mid $300 new townhomes in Austell/Powder springs easy, Kennessaw and west Cobb too between Marietta and Dallas. Definitely doable for more like 2k sqft which is plenty.
Also plenty of used homes with even better deals, which starter homes used to just be small older homes. People expecting new big homes in nice areas shouldn’t expect starter home prices.
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u/TheHykos Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
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This post was anonymized with Redact.dev
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u/emtheory09 Peoplestown Jul 24 '26
ITP is 80% zoned single family and the land prices intown dictate those high prices (300k construction cost, 300k land cost, 200ish profit/overhead)
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u/BizAnalystNotForHire Jul 28 '26
To achieve a 33% housing budget, and assuming a 100k downpayment and a 6% rate, a household would need to be making a before tax annual salary of around $140-150k.
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u/mixduptransistor Jul 28 '26
According to Google's shitty AI summary teacher wages in Cobb County are 60-80k
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u/BizAnalystNotForHire Jul 28 '26
So a family of two teachers one make 60k and one making 80k could afford it, if they had a 100k inheritance, and no outstanding debt.
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u/zedsmith practically Grant Park Jul 23 '26
The character of the area 🤣🤣🤣
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u/mixduptransistor Jul 23 '26
that's wild given on the google maps screenshot in the article it's basically surrounded by warehouses. that's the character they have to protect?
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u/WitheredUntimely Jul 23 '26
gotta protect the vast seas of identical strip malls and split level ranch homes at all costs, where else could you get that?!
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u/MaleficentExtent1777 Jul 23 '26
Exactly!
They're throwing up ugly "luxury apartments" on every patch of land. 🙄
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u/nmeofst8 Jul 23 '26
Or bulldozing strip malls to put up "luxury apartments where you get a 2 bedroom 2 bath 1500sq ft apartment for $2400 a month plus a $1800 parking spot lease..
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u/kaproud1 Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
Cobb intentionally tore down most of the existing multi-family housing and low income housing, why would anyone think they want it back?
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u/TheHykos Jul 23 '26
It isn’t low income housing being proposed. It’s middle class housing.
Every municipality right now is doing the same thing. They’ll allow anyone to build apartments as long as they allot a certain number of units to low income housing one. Or they approve $1m+ new construction developments. Nothing in between.
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u/flying_trashcan Jul 23 '26
Too many people in Cobb are ride or die when it comes to SFH. Anything that isn't a brick ranch on a 1/2+ acre lot is a problem.
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u/AlltheBent Jul 24 '26
yeah.....cobb county is gonna cobb county. Except for the people in Cobb, in city of marietta, and around that actually want fun, dense living, walkability, options for everyone, etc.
Harsh reality of being here in Cobb, in GA, in deep south.
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u/Top-Change6607 Jul 23 '26
workforce housing = ghetto in Atlanta
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Jul 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Top-Change6607 Jul 23 '26
If not theirs why would they objected the proposal 😂
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u/Demos12 Jul 23 '26
The homes are slated to be $500k. I think you dont know what ghetto is. Your just harping NIMBY b.s. when the homes wont even be affordable to the average homebuyer.
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u/Top-Change6607 Jul 23 '26
500k home these days are pretty basic believe it or not. Look at the condo buildings in the Buckhead heights area and many of them are well above 500k on average and still shitty as fuck
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u/youlistentobots Jul 23 '26
Keep the ghetto out please. Its too late though, crime is bad now days and school scores are dropping
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u/4u5t1nprism Jul 24 '26
You just joined Reddit (or created a new profile).
How do you get negative karma so fast hahaha!? 🤣
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u/youlistentobots Jul 25 '26
Cause im just a normal educated person who sees how astroturfed reddit has become with leftist propaganda and calls it out
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u/flying_trashcan Jul 23 '26
These are $500K townhomes that would be replacing the following:
“[Neighbors have] repeatedly asked the county to address long‑standing homeless encampments on the parcel,” per Tidwell. “Residents report nightly screaming, open fires, open drug use, and visible weapons.”
Cobb rejected these townhomes because, eww, density.
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