Partners for Home is spearheading an initiative called "Downtown Rising" to house approximately 400 unsheltered individuals by the end of 2025 ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The nonprofit agency implements Atlanta's homelessness strategy and aims to eliminate downtown homelessness before the sporting event, which expects to draw as many as 300,000 visitors.
The program employs a "housing first" approach combining outreach, rehousing support, barrier removal for shelter access, and wraparound mental health and medical services. Partners for Home CEO Cathryn Vassell stated the work is "geared to sustain well beyond the World Cup." The city has invested $60 million in rapid housing and wraparound services, and Mayor Andre Dickens opened The Melody, a micro-living community housing 40 people using repurposed shipping containers.
However, advocates express significant concerns. The National Homelessness Law Center noted that while compressed timelines for housing are possible, major sports events shouldn't be required to prompt urgent action. Critics worry about individuals who refuse services — Michael Collins from Color of Change raised concern that those rejecting offers might face incarceration at Fulton County Jail, which faced a Justice Department investigation for "abhorrent and unconstitutional conditions."
Atlanta's 1996 Olympic experience provides cautionary context — approximately 9,000 homeless individuals were arrested during preparations. A tragic incident earlier this year intensified scrutiny when a city construction vehicle killed Cornelius Taylor inside his tent at the Old Wheat Street encampment, prompting Mayor Dickens to establish a Homelessness Task Force focused on improving safety and strategy.
Historians and housing experts caution that clearing encampments before major events addresses symptoms rather than structural causes, arguing sustainable solutions require comprehensive housing policy rather than temporary measures tied to sporting events.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution