Business
Bruce Deel, founder and CEO of City of Refuge, Andy Litvak, partner and Abe Kannof, associate with Nelson Mullins, join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the 1300 development. They discuss the importance of affordable housing in metro Atlanta with hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment. Founded 24 years ago, City of Refuge has serviced the west side of Atlanta for the past 19 years. The organization provides wrap-around services for those who find themselves in difficult situations. A one-stop-shop, services include housing, medical, dental, mental health, vision, parenting classes, financial literacy, vocational training, homeownership and job placement. With workforce training and an innovation hub, the organization provides a rich roster of classes focusing on auto technician training, culinary arts, personal fitness training, hospitality, customer service, security personnel and recently, the cybersecurity and coding academy. The goal is to equip the 500 annual participants in the vocational training programs to find employment in metro Atlanta and secure a livable wage, which is currently at $19 per hour. With nonprofit partners across the city, including high schools, vo-tech schools, churches and police departments, they are able to teach soft skills and critical life skills. Currently, the organization receives referrals from organizations across metro Atlanta, exceeding their capacity. Recently, 300 applicants applied for the 45 spots available in the cybersecurity academy. City of Refuge refocused the process to allow for quicker organization of upcoming classes to assist in the large number of applications. “Everybody that comes to us comes from someplace of brokenness in life,” shared Deel. “Helping them figure out not just how to get a job but how to keep that job and how to move forward in a successful manner.” A crucial aspect of securing employment is finding safe and affordable housing. With a partner like Nelson Mullins providing pro bono legal services, City of Refuge can identify apartments and hotels and transform them into affordable and safe spaces. Affordable housing near the City of Refuge campus provides convenience for program participants to settle while having easy access to organization services. Nelson Mullins is a full-service law firm that provides a full suite of legal services to various businesses and clients. There are 25 offices open on the eastern seaboard, but the company considers the southeastern United States home. Litvak and Kannof work within the commercial real estate practice along with 45 to 50 attorneys, focusing exclusively on commercial real estate transactions. The firm has been working with City of Refuge for the past five years. The 1300 Project is a culmination of efforts and recognition of the acute need for affordable housing in Atlanta, becoming the first foundational housing project on Atlanta’s Westside. The project came out of years of discussion and strategic brainstorming to expand the City of Refuge campus, creating a ripple effect to demonstrate the affordable real estate potential on the Westside. Litvak shared that the multigenerational project of City of Refuge is a consistent effort Nelson Mullins hopes to carry on. “We really view ourselves as a spoke on [the] wheel. We have particular resources and particular areas of expertise on the legal side and the real estate side,” said Litvak. "That’s where you’re really going to start to see inertia and momentum when it comes to moving things forward as it relates to affordable housing on the Westside.” The challenging situation on Atlanta’s Westside makes developing new real estate is not an easy feat to accomplish. There is an elevation in real estate prices, and investments occurring within the neighborhood are more concerned with a return on investment versus focusing on the struggling residents.