In a time when affordable housing is hard to find, Atlanta Housing Authority works to preserve viable options for low-income, senior and disabled Atlanta residents. The Atlanta Housing Authority, along with Columbia Residential, JM Wilkerson, Wells Fargo and others, hosted a Hard Hat Celebration to publicly mark the preservation.

The high rise at Juniper and 10^th streets, in the heart of one of the city's most sought-after neighborhoods, is being completely renovated and modernized to provide 149 high-quality senior and non-elderly disabled housing units.  The majority of the existing residents will return to the building upon completion of the renovations.

"The charge to preserve affordable housing for Atlantans is top priority for us at AHA," said Catherine Buell, president and CEO of Atlanta Housing Authority. "To make it a win-win for all requires collaboration and commitment of strategic partners, just as we have with Juniper and 10th."

Daniel Halpern, chairman of the AHA Board of Commissioners said, "The board is proud of the work Catherine Buell and the AHA staff have done to bring this project to fruition. In order to expand affordable housing in Atlanta, we have to ensure that we maintain what we already have. We're doing exactly that at Juniper and Tenth."

"Columbia Residential is pleased to partner with the Atlanta Housing Authority and our other partners in their effort to provide affordable housing in close proximity to the services the residents will most need," said Noel Khalil, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Columbia Residential. "We all know about the demand for affordable housing options in our region, and we are proud to work with an entity like the AHA that champions our work to maintain quality housing opportunities for those who need it most."

During renovations, residents were relocated to other affordable housing with the option to return upon renovation completion. Renovations are expected to be completed by December 2017.