The Georgia Field Office welcomed both HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman and U.S. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo to Atlanta. The purpose of the visit was to highlight the work both agencies have done under the Biden-Harris Administration to invest funds into underserved communities. The visit started with a roundtable hosted by Atlanta Housing President and CEO Eugene Jones. The forum brought together developers, investors, and community leaders such as Carmen Chubb, President of Columbia Residential, Terri Lee, Chief Operating Officer for Atlanta Housing, and Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President & CEO of Invest Atlanta; a group committed to improving the quality and increasing the quantity of affordable housing, The attendees discussed how consistent funding and additional federal resources have assisted in keeping people in their homes, kept foreclosure rates below pre-pandemic levels and helped expand access to affordable housing investments. They also brainstormed ideas to combat various barriers and challenges often faced within the industry.

Following the roundtable, the Deputy Secretaries visited Hightower Manor Apartments, a revitalization/recapitalization project benefiting from HUD Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) funding and Treasury Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) support. They were accompanied by RA José Alvarez, DRA Tiffany Cobb, GA FOD Shea Johnson, and PIH Director Robert Kenner. The tour was led by Columbia Residential. The property has been designated for disabled youth and persons 55 or older. Once completed, Hightower Manor would include over 100 renovated units, an on-site health clinic, a movie theater, and arts & crafts rooms, which excited the Deputy Secretary. She noted the amenities would allow the residents to be active and enable necessary social activities.

The final stop included a tour of the East Central DeKalb Community and Senior Center, a property that has received a total of $9.4 million from HUD Section 108 loan and Community Development Block Grant funds. Led by Dekalb County Community Development Director Allen Mitchell, and GA CPD Director Adrian Fields, the Deputy Secretary was given a behind-the-scenes look at what's in store for this community and senior center once construction is complete. Deputy Secretary Todman called her time in Atlanta full circle. She stated, "HUD provides a lot of housing, and one of the things that is important to us is that we are preserving that housing, that the housing is safe, and that when people leave their housing, they are able to have someplace to go to be with their families, friends, and neighbors, and that's what this site and visit represents."

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