I’ve been living in Atlanta, Georgia going on about a year now and I still stand behind the cliché “there’s nowhere else on earth I’d rather be” saying because well…there is no place I’d rather be right now in my 20s.
Home to about 5,522,942 people and deemed the ninth largest metropolitan area in the states, Atlanta has become what seems like the southern alpha city. There’s street art that deserves special solo exhibitions at only the most pristine of museums, music festivals that you’re guaranteed to dance your ass off at, a wide variety of food and restaurants: some famous and popular, others just hole in the walls but still delicious and mouthwatering, there are tourist “traps” that are actually not too dreadful and a waste of money, the almost national landmark strip clubs, the ever-growing world of music and film, and well, the list goes on. Atlanta’s endless attractions, business corporations, job opportunities, international partners, and so forth, is bringing in rapid growth and opportunity and the constant development will truly never end as long as Atlanta keeps living up to its reputation as one of the most populous cities in the states. It’s not rocket science either, Atlanta is ranked 8th in the nation with a GDP (gross domestic product) of $270 billion. With that much growth potential it would be hard for anyone to pass up moving somewhere where the probability of landing a “good” job is favorable, especially for college grads according to MarketWatch.com; the median salary for recent college grads is over $50,000 per year in Atlanta. For Christ sakes Atlanta is home to the third most Fortune 500 companies in America, with 16 of the 18 companies based in Georgia if you need more clarification. Getting a job isn't easy, trust me I know, but whether you’re moving for financial reasons, change of scenery, hopes and dreams, or what have you, Atlanta is a good choice full of opportunities and unlimited experiences.
Now this is the part where the cameras go off, the lights dim, the director tells me I did a good job, I toss the bullshit script, and I keep it real. Atlanta is growing and developing in just about every revenue aspect, it’s hard to get bored here, the food is great (depending on where you go and what you’re in to), and I have yet had to deal with a shortage of attractions. Atlanta without a doubt lives up to its reputation and it’s not much I hate about it here besides the traffic and the crucial summer heat index, but too bad there is two sides to every story. Atlanta’s reputation and popularity has made the city congested. I often wonder if this city will ever reach its limit of people because in all actually Atlanta is only so big. A good number of people living in Atlanta, don’t actually live in Atlanta, instead they live in suburban metro areas, and because of the rapid growth Atlanta continues to undergo with the success of businesses, attractions, and opportunities there has been a great and noticeable division in terms of lifestyle.
The division is between living inside or outside of Atlanta where I-285 is the dividing line. Inside the perimeter of Atlanta is what most people would call the city life: a fast pace, attraction filled zone where time is no longer time and appearance is the biggest façade and obstacle. Outside the perimeter is of course the suburban life where it is quiet, family-friendly, more yard space and square footage that is affordable, and not to mention, the longer commute time to and from the city. Because of the high-speed changes Atlanta is going through and the people those changes are attracting, living in the city has become a royal fuck if I must say so myself. I strongly suggest if you live in the city now to either reconsider, or pray the Gods are forgiving because the more Atlanta grows the more the fluctuation of prices, expansion, and placement of newly renovated housing and rent will increase. This leads to gentrification, which leads to a cycle of displacement, which then leads to rapid demographic shifting, and that leads to more racial friction we Americans seem to love. But, this is nothing new for Atlanta sadly. The reverse white flight phenomenon is slowly becoming normal and expected as more and more white people move into what was once low-income neighborhoods, often times populated by people of color. When this happens, the area is now taken over, property value rises, neighborhoods become cleaner and safer, lives start to matter, police surveillance is now present more, and many former residents (people of color) are forced to move out. Sounds a lot like “colonialism” for all my history lovers if I must be real.
Neighborhoods are robbed of their history and not even viewed as homes but rather an investment and profit opportunity when gentrification shows its face. They like to call it “redevelopment” but the radically altered neighborhoods are a big reason why people of color go poor, struggle to survive, and become homeless. Georgia State University Sociology Professor Deirdre Oakley, who studies gentrification, told Creative Loafing back in 2015 that, “Here in Atlanta, traditionally a [predominantly] African-American city, neighborhoods aren’t just becoming more affluent, they’re becoming more white.” Oakley then goes on to state that the city governments ultimately have a “vested interest” in gentrification. The reason; higher property values, the higher taxes, and higher taxes means more revenue to spend more cash on its citizens. More spending can help create more attractions to help give Atlanta more power and newcomers at the expense of colored people accelerating gentrification. Oakley states, “When neighborhoods start to gentrify, it’s a growth machine. Once private capital comes in, it’s impossible to stop it without rent control like in New York City. There’s no way that will happen in Atlanta.”.
That leaves people looking for housing in Atlanta in a dilemma where the choices are limited but equally screwed. People can either live in Atlanta somewhere shitty and “dangerous” for less, or people can move into neighborhoods where you pay more for less because of the property values and taxes, or people can live in these urban neighborhoods where gentrification is rich and end up paying too much for what may not necessarily be worth it. This also leaves investors in a dilemma about morality. It would be illogical to stop making investments in long-derelict neighborhoods in cities that are growing, but it is also unfair to disenfranchise and displace those who were there first. If the world was a fair place then an equal balance and solution would have been in the works, but there are none in Atlanta, and we all know that money talks.
As the population increases in Atlanta, along with suburbanization, rising prices, and booming economy, don’t forget what is being done on the flip side. New residents all moving into the city calling Atlanta home, don’t forget about the mass decline in black people owning homes and being ousted out of their own community. Dating back to 1970s, and then the 1996 Summer Olympics, the levels of intensity dealing with gentrification is beginning to get out of hand and will only get worst. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium is almost done right off of Martin Luther King Jr Drive SW, The Beltline project is still developing and changing, and neighborhoods like Grant Park, Inman Park, Chandler Park, and Virginia Highland are upscaling more. It’s safe to say in the next couple of years it won’t matter where you live in Atlanta, neighborhood stereotypes and reputations won’t matter and what was once affordable will be populated with working class whites living in lofts, condos, apartments, and luxurious costly homes. Next time you see a homeless black man on the streets of your newly renovated home with up to date appliances and hardwood floors don’t be quick to judge or wonder why he’s treading the neighborhood, just know this was once his home, once his neighborhood, and now he has nowhere else to go. He is no ghost but instead a shadow of his own oppression caused by his displacement in a society that proves once again is not meant for him.
