Our little walking path - Whetstone Creek Trail - is now becoming the connection between the Atlanta Beltline and the Silver Comet Trail. 

While this is good in many ways, there is also a down side. Many of the neighborhoods on the beltline have experienced the negative effects. 

• Increased taxes:
  Rising home prices = increased property taxes.  Which is forcing out fixed & lower income residents to move out of Atlanta, because they can't afford the taxes. 

• Gentrification:
  Owners of older lower rent units discover they can make more money if they demolish the older building and build new hi-end units. Which exclude previous residents simply by the higher prices. 

• Higher Density Housing:
  Single Family Homes being replaced with Townhomes and Apartment complexes. Packing more people in to smaller spaces. 

• Displacement:
  Low income residences are being forced out of generational homes - they can't afford the increased taxes.  

• Affordable Housing:
  The project has failed to meet its affordable housing targets, with many built units becoming unaffordable to the average Atlanta resident.

The primary negative effect of Atlanta's Beltline is green gentrification, which has driven up property values and displaced low-income residents from previously affordable neighborhoods. Other negative effects include a lack of sufficient affordable housing to meet community needs, increased crime and loitering, concerns about the BeltLine's poor design and maintenance, and the loss of political power and sense of belonging for long-term residents.  

Green Gentrification and Displacement

• Rising Property Values: The BeltLine's development has dramatically increased property values in surrounding areas, pushing out existing residents and businesses. 

• Displacement: Low-income households are being forced out of their neighborhoods and into suburbs with fewer services and opportunities, a process known as displacement. 

• Racial Exclusion: The BeltLine has been a major factor in accelerating the migration of white residents into historically Black and lower-income communities, contributing to racial exclusion. 

Affordable Housing Shortage

• Inadequate Provisions: The BeltLine has failed to provide enough affordable housing to keep pace with demand and the rapid influx of new residents. 

• High Cost of Affordable Units: Some of the so-called "affordable" housing units are still too expensive for many Atlantans. 

Crime and Maintenance Issues 

• Increased Crime and Loitering: Some neighborhoods have experienced a rise in crime and loitering along the BeltLine, with residents citing a lack of adequate security and oversight.

• Maintenance Concerns: Residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the poor design and insufficient ongoing maintenance of the BeltLine, leading to hazards such as illegal dumping and littering.

Civic Displacement 

• Loss of Political Power: The influx of new residents and powerful developers can diminish the political power of long-term residents, who may feel increasingly voiceless in their own communities.

• Loss of Belonging: The rapid changes brought by the BeltLine can lead to a loss of community identity and a diminished sense of belonging for existing residents.