Decatur housing development offers truly affordable residences

Residential offerings withing walking distance of Decatur Square can be described as many things, but “affordable” is an adjective rarely deployed.

But now, with the opening of the first two phases of Trinity Walk, there are more than 100 units earmarked to make the neighborhood more inclusive, according to a press release from the Decatur Housing Authority.

City leaders will gather next month to celebrate the completion of 121 apartment flats and townhomes, offering one-, two-, and three-bedroom options for families and elderly or disabled residents.

The development replaces an outdated public housing community—Gateway Manor—that stood on the property for more than 50 years.

The next phase of construction will replace another aged community, Oakview Apartments, with more new units. This staggering of work allowed for reaccommodation of current residents during construction, officials said.

Designed by Lord Aeck Sargent, with landscape by Kimley-Horn, the project offers amenities such as a community center, playgrounds, and a walking trail.

The site and buildings were designed with sustainability in mind, with roof runoff captured for irrigation, bio-swales for purifying water, and landscape buffers to protect Peavine Creek.

Decatur Housing Authority

Thirty-two of the rentals were created for the elderly and disabled, while the remaining 89 units are meant for families. Officials didn’t specify what rents are, but they noted the community is 100 percent leased.

“Our residents value the community’s location with its proximity to MARTA, Decatur City schools, downtown jobs, and many city amenities,” Doug Faust, executive director of the Decatur Housing Authority, said in the release. “We spent a great deal of time strategizing with our partners and the residents to create achievable development goals.”

• Trinity Walk A Revitalization of the Gateway Manor Community [Decatur Housing Authority]