About Us
oaksATL Community Development is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation aimed to combat community deterioration by providing dignity through quality and affordable housing for residents in English Ave and surrounding neighborhoods of Atlanta.
Our Story.
oaksATL Community Development was born out of a need that became apparent to the staff and leadership of Peace Prep during the winter of 2016. Two specific experiences led us to start a community housing ministry.
First, a staff member was seeking to buy a home in the English Ave neighborhood and there were no properties that qualified for a bank loan. Without private cash, homeownership is near impossible in this neighborhood.
Second, a family at Peace Prep endured a month-long period during which raw sewage freely flowed in front of their apartment building prior to finally being repaired. With God’s prompting, we knew it was time to act and be a part of the solution by providing quality and affordable housing for the residents of English Avenue.
Peace Preparatory Academy is a neighborhood school in the English Avenue neighborhood that seeks to be a place that educates the whole child, supports the whole family, and provides growth and change opportunities for the whole community in a high-quality, Christ-centered learning environment. Peace Prep was founded in 2015 and currently consists of grades PreK-6th grade with plans to grow one grade per year up to 12th grade. oaksATL Community Development was created in 2017 to steward the vision of Prep Prep by providing growth opportunities for the whole community through housing.
Rebuild. Restore. Renew.
Rebuild.
We purchase distressed, blighted, and vacant properties for long-term ownership to insure English Avenue residents won’t be forced out by escalating prices. As a licensed general contractor, oaksATL has the ability to complete projects where there is missional and geographic alignment in order to accomplish the following:
- A consistent quality of properties developed in a distressed community.
- Job creation and training opportunities for construction-related skills and trades.
Restore.
We restore the existing property to a new condition that will provide dignity through quality, affordable, and accessible housing and workspaces. As a community partner along with Peace Preparatory Academy, OaksATL has engaged in the development of several catalytic projects in English Avenue and on the historic west side of Atlanta.
Rebuild.
We empower residents to become leaders in our community and maintain their voice in community and economic redevelopment. As a community development organization with people and places in mind, our drive for renewal will be anchored by the following principles.
- We affirm that all people are made in the Image of God and the spaces and places they interact should reflect the inherent dignity and worth bestowed by their Creator.
- We affirm that those with privilege, resources, and access are invited to partner and participate in this renewal.
- We affirm that systemic injustice and institutional structures have not always prioritized those in our communities and we will work to create and enhance systems that lead to the flourishing of all people.
Our Why
Community
Neighborhood.
English Avenue lies on the historic westside of Atlanta and has shared its rich history. Though today English Avenue and Vine City are known as two of the most under-resourced communities in our city, they have been pivotal parts of Atlanta’s rich Civil Rights legacy.
These neighborhoods were once home to the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, as well as Andrew Young and other notable leaders. Other notable landmarks include the English Avenue Elementary School, which was the first school on the west side of town where African American children could attend school all day, and its’ notable pupils include Gladys Knight, Maynord Jackson, and Herman Cain.
Today English Avenue has a property vacancy rate of around 60%, and over 40% of its residents are well below the federal poverty line, it is known as a food and resource desert.
