Building More Than Homes: Clayton County Leaders Unite Around Housing, Opportunity, and a Stronger Future
HouseATL Housing Forum brings together local mayors, economic development leaders, housing experts, and business owners to discuss a future where Clayton County residents can live, work, and prosper in the communities they call home.
What does it take to build a community where families can afford to stay, young adults can purchase their first homes, and longtime residents can see their neighborhoods grow without feeling left behind?
That question was at the heart of the HouseATL Clayton County Housing Forum, held Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the Morrow Center in Morrow, Georgia.
The afternoon brought together elected officials, housing professionals, economic development leaders, developers, and local business owners for a conversation about Clayton County’s future.
But beyond the discussions of housing strategies, zoning, redevelopment, and financing, something much more personal emerged.
Housing is about the grandmother whose adult children and grandchildren still live under her roof because finding an affordable home has become increasingly difficult. It is about the employee who works hard but cannot comfortably afford housing near their job. It is about the homeowner who wants to maintain a property they have invested in for years.
And it is about making sure that as Clayton County grows, the people who already call it home have opportunities to grow along with it.
A Shared Vision for Clayton County
The forum was hosted by HouseATL, a regional coalition focused on advancing housing affordability through collaboration, policy, and practical solutions.
Mandala Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Develop Clayton and Chair of the Clayton County Housing Task Force, opened the discussion by outlining the work underway to develop a comprehensive housing strategy that brings together unincorporated Clayton County and six of its seven municipalities.
His message was clear: Clayton County has an opportunity to think bigger about what its communities can become.
That includes preserving attainable housing, expanding the variety of homes available, revitalizing downtown districts, and creating neighborhoods where residents can walk to restaurants, enjoy public spaces, and access employment opportunities.
Rather than treating housing and economic development as separate priorities, Mandala Jones emphasized the importance of connecting them.
A new home brings a family into a community. Nearby businesses create jobs and amenities. Improved infrastructure supports additional investment. Together, those elements help create places where residents can build their lives.
The broader vision is for Clayton County to become an increasingly attractive destination for residents, employers, developers, and businesses while preserving opportunities for the people who have already invested their lives here.
Chairwoman Dr. Alieka Anderson-Henry: Housing Must Be Connected to Economic Mobility
Clayton County Board of Commissioners
Chairwoman Dr. Alieka Anderson-Henry moderated the Mayors’ Roundtable and challenged the audience to think beyond the number of homes that could be constructed.
Chairwoman Anderson-Henry shared that she initially envisioned creating approximately 10,000 additional housing opportunities during her time in office. However, conversations with the Atlanta Regional Commission prompted her to consider a substantially larger need.
According to figures she discussed during the forum, approximately 25,000 homes may need to be developed or preserved to address Clayton County’s housing challenges.
But Chairwoman Anderson-Henry emphasized that housing cannot be addressed without confronting another reality: many residents’ earnings have not kept pace with the cost of living.
A home may be available, but what happens when a working family cannot afford it?
For Chairwoman Anderson-Henry, the answer involves connecting housing with workforce development, education, transportation, and better-paying employment opportunities.
She discussed initiatives to expand workforce resources across Clayton County’s municipalities, strengthen partnerships among nonprofit organizations, and connect residents with services that can help them achieve greater financial stability.
Her remarks reinforced that improving housing opportunities also means helping residents build the financial foundation necessary to maintain a home.
The goal is not simply to help someone secure housing today. It is to create conditions that allow families to remain financially stable and build toward the future.
Three Mayors, Three Communities, One Commitment
The Mayors’ Roundtable featured Mayor Marci Fluellyn of the City of Lovejoy, who also serves as Chair of the Clayton County Municipal Association; Mayor Dr. Donya L. Sartor of the City of Jonesboro; and Mayor Ronald Dodson of Lake City.
Each municipality faces different challenges, but the discussion repeatedly returned to the importance of collaboration.
Mayor Marci Fluellyn spoke about the need for housing choices that reflect the different incomes, circumstances, and stages of life represented within a community.
She shared an observation about residents who are sometimes overlooked in housing discussions: adult children raising families while living with parents or other relatives.
These families are already part of the community. Their children may already attend local schools, and they may already work and travel along the county’s roads.
The challenge is creating housing opportunities that allow them to establish homes of their own.
Mayor Marci Fluellyn also emphasized the importance of coordinating municipal master plans so that investments in sidewalks, transportation, trails, and infrastructure connect across city boundaries rather than ending at them.
Mayor Dr. Donya L. Sartor offered a practical perspective from Jonesboro, where limited land, longstanding zoning restrictions, and development costs can make expanding housing choices difficult.
She discussed reviewing zoning regulations that may restrict opportunities for townhomes, accessory dwelling units, and other housing types.
Mayor Dr. Donya L. Sartor also spoke candidly about the financial pressures facing working residents, including the challenge of maintaining older homes and paying rising utility bills.
She highlighted the use of Community Development Block Grant funding to support home repairs for qualifying households, including improvements related to heating and cooling efficiency.
And when the discussion turned to involving residents in future development decisions, Mayor Dr. Donya L. Sartor made an important point: community engagement cannot depend solely on people attending government meetings.
Leaders must go where residents are, including churches, community gatherings, and public events, to hear a broader range of perspectives.
Mayor Ronald Dodson described a different set of challenges in Lake City, one of Clayton County’s smallest municipalities.
With limited available land for residential expansion, the city is focusing on quality-of-life improvements that benefit existing residents.
He discussed plans for additional park space, walking paths, pickleball courts, and community amenities.
His remarks illustrated that community development is not measured exclusively by the number of new homes constructed. It can also be measured by whether residents have safe, welcoming places to gather, exercise, spend time with their families, and enjoy their neighborhoods.
Throughout the roundtable, the mayors emphasized that Clayton County’s municipalities are increasingly sharing information, coordinating resources, and working together.
Rather than seven cities and a county pursuing disconnected visions, the goal is a more coordinated approach to growth.
Also in attendance was Georgia State Senator Kenya Wicks, City of Lovejoy Councilwoman Dr. Rebekah Holland Wright, Post 3, and Demeitrice Collins, Democratic nominee for Clayton County Board of Commissioners District 1.
Their participation reflected the broader interest in housing affordability and community development across Clayton County and the surrounding metropolitan region.
Although the discussion centered on Clayton County, many of the issues raised extend beyond any single city or county boundary.
Housing availability, employment, transportation, infrastructure, and economic opportunity are interconnected challenges that benefit from cooperation among local and regional leaders.
The presence of additional public officials underscored an important theme of the afternoon: lasting community progress requires leaders to remain engaged in conversations that extend beyond their own jurisdictions.
Forest Park’s Rochelle B. Dennis Shares Progress on Downtown Housing Development
One of the afternoon’s encouraging updates came from Rochelle B. Dennis, Economic Development Director for the City of Forest Park.
Speaking during the audience discussion, Rochelle B. Dennis described how Forest Park has been taking deliberate steps to prepare for development rather than waiting for investment opportunities to appear.
She explained that the city and its development authorities have worked to acquire and assemble properties within the downtown Main Street corridor, creating larger development opportunities from smaller parcels.
The approach gives the city greater influence over what is eventually developed and how those projects fit the community’s long-term goals.
Rochelle B. Dennis emphasized that attracting development requires more than identifying vacant property. It involves reviewing zoning, preparing sites, establishing development expectations, and working with partners who share the city’s vision.
She also shared news about Florence on Main, a planned 60-unit mixed-use development along Forest Park’s Main Street corridor.
The project has received housing tax credit approval from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and Rochelle B. Dennis said the city anticipates groundbreaking in 2027.
The proposed development represents an important step toward bringing residential opportunities and complementary uses into Forest Park’s downtown area.
For residents, the potential benefits extend beyond additional housing. Thoughtfully planned mixed-use development can help support local businesses, attract additional investment, and create a more active downtown environment.
Rochelle B. Dennis also highlighted Forest Park’s participation in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, an effort supporting communities as they strengthen local housing strategies.
Her remarks provided a concrete example of how years of planning, property acquisition, partnerships, and persistence can begin turning a redevelopment vision into a project.
A Local Construction Business Owner Asks an Important Question: Will Clayton County Businesses Have a Seat at the Table?
Another noteworthy moment came during the question-and-answer session when Brittney Alicia Sandifer, Co-Owner of Sandifer Construction Group, addressed the housing strategy panel.
Sandifer Construction Group is a family-owned general contracting business specializing in residential and commercial construction, renovations, and related services.
Brittney Alicia Sandifer explained that although the company has completed projects throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area, she and her husband want to do more business in Clayton County, the community they call home.
Her question went beyond how to obtain construction contracts.
She wanted to understand how established local contractors could remain involved in the housing development conversation, compete for opportunities, negotiate competitive construction costs, and bring more Clayton County subcontractors into upcoming projects.
The larger issue was keeping more of the economic benefits of development circulating within the local community.
When local businesses participate in construction projects, those opportunities can support local workers, subcontractors, suppliers, and families.
Tate Wilson, Managing Director of KB Advisory Group and Project Manager for the Clayton County Housing Assessment and Strategy, responded by discussing a potential approach involving prequalification of developers and general contractors.
Establishing a pool of qualified businesses before projects are formally advertised could help local governments identify capable partners, streamline procurement, and consider local participation when evaluating development opportunities.
The proposal remains a recommendation rather than an established countywide program, but the exchange illustrated why local business voices belong in housing discussions.
After all, building new housing requires architects, construction companies, skilled tradespeople, engineers, suppliers, and many other professionals.
For Clayton County, the opportunity is not only to create additional places for residents to live but also to help local businesses participate in building them.
Turning Plans Into Real Projects
As the forum moved toward its conclusion, Tate Wilson of KB Advisory Group joined James Brooks, President of Boulevard Group, Inc., for a discussion about implementing the county’s housing strategy.
Both emphasized the importance of connecting public planning with private investment.
Local governments can help create the conditions that make housing development possible through thoughtful land use, infrastructure improvements, financial tools, and strategic partnerships.
James Brooks explained that housing strategies, economic development plans, and comprehensive community plans must work together.
Tate Wilson also discussed opportunities to use publicly owned land strategically, including parcels that may be better suited for trails, green space, or other amenities than residential construction.
Those investments can improve quality of life while making surrounding areas more attractive for future development.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of the Clayton County Housing Task Force in maintaining collaboration as the planning process moves toward implementation.
For residents, one of the most important questions will be how these strategies translate into visible progress, expanded housing opportunities, stronger neighborhoods, and greater participation by local businesses.
The Future of Clayton County Includes the People Who Already Call It Home
Perhaps the clearest message from the afternoon was that Clayton County’s future cannot be built through housing development alone.
It requires employers willing to invest in the community, transportation connections that help residents reach opportunities, housing choices across income levels, and local governments willing to work across municipal boundaries.
It also requires listening to residents.
The parent who wants their adult child to afford a first home. The senior who wants to remain in a familiar neighborhood. The business owner who wants to hire locally. The family looking for a safe place to live near work and school.
Each has a stake in what happens next.
The October 20 HouseATL Housing Forum did not resolve every housing challenge facing Clayton County. Nor did it suggest that every proposed project or strategy is already funded and approved.
What it demonstrated was a growing commitment among government leaders, housing professionals, developers, and community stakeholders to approach those challenges together.
Chairwoman Dr. Alieka Anderson-Henry summed up the collaborative approach with three priorities: communication, collaboration, and consistency.
The coming years will reveal how these conversations translate into housing, investment, jobs, and stronger communities.
And as the county moves forward, the ultimate measure of progress will be found in the lives of the people who call Clayton County home.
A young family purchasing its first house. A resident finding better-paying work closer to home. A local contractor winning an opportunity to help build the next neighborhood. A longtime homeowner finding the support needed to maintain a property and remain in the community.
These are the outcomes that can give housing strategies their lasting value.
Clayton County is planning for growth. The opportunity now is to make that growth work for the people who live here.
Stay Connected and Be Part of Clayton County’s Future
At The Best of Clayton County, we believe positive community news deserves to be shared. From neighborhood investments and civic leadership to local businesses and opportunities for residents, our mission is to help connect the people, organizations, and ideas moving Clayton County forward.
Residents interested in learning more about the county’s housing strategy can explore the draft recommendations and public engagement information at:
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