Mixed Income Communities Initiative (MICI) - Information & Education


MICI recognizes that making the case and building consensus for the equitable distribution of affordable housing development in the region will require changing hearts and minds. To that end, MICI has engaged in a number of educational and information efforts to broaden the understanding of issues, and to give voice to those who are under-represented.

Regional Housing Resource Center

Despite a crisis in the availability of affordable housing, and skyrocketing housing costs, there is currently no single entity in the region capable of regularly monitoring housing needs, housing development, and the degree to which development activities and policies are meeting the community’s need. In July 2004, MICI recommended the creation of a housing data center to provide real-time, impartial, uniform housing and community development data region-wide.  In May 2006, ANDP signed an agreement with Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the Atlanta Regional Commission to create The Regional Housing Resource Center. For more details, see the press release.


Think Regionally, Act Locally

Rectifying the chasm of economic and social injustices caused by sprawl in the Atlanta region will require the involvement of diverse entities mobilized around the goal of equitable development. Various stakeholders from the “grass roots” to the “grass tops” must be educated about the problems facing our region’s inhabitants and the policy tools required to alleviate the negative externalities associated with unmanaged growth.

In order to assist in the creation of the political atmosphere and the communications messages needed to produce the policy innovations in the areas of affordable housing, has conducted a series of sector-specific roundtables aimed at various sectors needed to spur social change. The goals of the “Think Regionally, Act Locally” (TRAL) roundtables are as follows:

• Increase awareness and understanding of unmanaged growth in the metropolitan Atlanta region and its negative affects on various stakeholder interests;
• Educate various stakeholder groups on various “best practices” incorporated in the Nation to address the negative effects of unmanaged growth;
• Introduce participants to ANDP’s “Making the Case” (MTC) Communication’s Campaign
• Obtain sector specific feedback on messaging; and
• Increase diverse sector representation in planning of MTC Campaign; in particular, campaign planning and constituent outreach.

In addition to local and national partners involved in the planning and implementation of the TRAL roundtables, nationally known authorities on the topic of equitable development have also participated in these roundtables. Thus far, sector-specific roundtables held include: partnering CDCs, business community, organized labor, policy advocacy, economic development industry, faith-based community, elected officials, social justice organizations, environmental/conservation organizations, and others.