Affordable and Workforce Housing Defined

“The vision for our city is the commitment we’ve made to protect what is remaining of our diversity, to value all of our residents, and those who work here but are unable to live here because they have been priced out of the housing market.”

Decatur City Commissioner Lesa Mayer

Housing is at the heart of success and stability for all citizens. Everyone needs shelter, making it essential that the housing be affordable for residents to balance the other key aspects of their lives. Excessive housing costs can cause mental and physical stress on residents, which can have a ripple effect on the community at large. Trade-offs between nutrition, education and health care are all part of the equation when a family or individual resident faces unreasonable housing costs. Housing is considered affordable when a household spends no more than 30% of their annual gross income on housing costs, inclusive of basic utilities. 

Area Median Income (AMI)

Area Median Income (AMI) is defined by HUD and is the median household income for a particular region. Decatur is part of metro-Atlanta, and the applicable Area Median Income published annually by The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can be found on the 2023 Lifecycle and Inclusionary Housing Income Limits and Pricing Maximums  document below. 

Why Metro Atlanta AMI?

The Metro Atlanta AMI is used to frame recommendations instead of the AMI specific to the City of Decatur. Nearly all local governments use the regional AMI to design and measure the impact of their affordable housing initiatives. Decatur’s higher AMI stems from a disproportionate increase in high-income residents over the last decade. To better serve households who live in Metro Atlanta but work in Decatur, and to provide a level playing field for Decatur as part of Metro Atlanta, the Atlanta Metro AMI gives a better picture of affordable housing needs for low- and moderate-income residents.

Salary as Related to AMI

Salaries at 30-50% AMI might include a daycare teacher, retail worker, or afterschool program coordinator; at 60% AMI may include a firefighter, teacher, or RN school nurse;  at 80% AMI an administrative assistant, sheriff patrol officer, or postsecondary teacher; and at 100%-120% AMI may include a police captain or elementary school principal. 

Affordable Housing Defined

Affordable housing will be defined as a total cost of housing and utilities of less than 30% of annual gross income for citizens with an annual income (with family size adjustments) ranging from 30% up to 60% of AMI. Source: Affordable Housing Task Force Report, February 2020.

Workforce Housing Defined

Workforce housing will be defined as a total cost of housing and utilities of less than 30% of annual gross income for families with an annual income (with family size adjustments) ranging from 60% up to 120% AMI. Source: Affordable Housing Task Force Report, February 2020.