Elevate your employee experience and enhance retention with the Buckhead Employer Assisted Housing Program. This two-year pilot offers a $400 monthly rent subsidy to moderate-income employees who relocate to Buckhead. Your contribution? Only $200 per month, while the City of Atlanta and philanthropic partners cover the remaining amount.

Why Participate?

• Attract Top Talent: Provide a valuable housing benefit that sets your business apart.
• Cost-Effective: For $2,703.60 annually (including admin and taxes), you deliver a $4,800 benefit per employee.
• Positive Impact: Reduce traffic congestion and air pollution while supporting your employees’ journey toward potential homeownership.

All Buckhead employers are eligible—sign the program agreement today to join and make an impact! Contact us at housing@livablebuckhead.org for questions or to get started.

Save on rent and live closer to work with the Buckhead Employer Assisted Housing Program. If you earn between $41,500 and $62,000 annually, you could qualify for a $400 monthly rent subsidy—reducing your housing costs by $4,800 per year. All you need to do is relocate to the Buckhead community.

Why Apply?

• Lower Your Housing Costs: Enjoy a substantial rent reduction and improve your financial stability.
• Cut Commute Time: Spend less time commuting and more time enjoying life in Buckhead.
• Path to Homeownership: This program supports your long-term financial goals, including the possibility of homeownership.

If you’re ready to live and work in Buckhead, apply today and start reaping the benefits! Contact your Human Resources representative for questions about eligibility and how to apply.

Employers: Get your program started

Employees: Learn how Live. Work. Buckhead can benefit you

How is the program funded?

Program funding is provided by three primary sources. The participating employer pays ½  the monthly subsidy, the City of Atlanta’s Housing Trust Fund pays ¼ of the subsidy, and a philanthropic foundation pays ¼ . The funds are pooled together and paid out to participating individuals on a monthly basis. All program administration is provided by Livable Buckhead.

What are the benefits of the program?

• Benefits to employer: Enhanced employee recruitment and retention, leverage of philanthropic funding to provide employee benefit.
• Benefits to Housing Provider: Reduced fraud in leasing efforts
• Benefits to Participating Individual: $4800 in reduced housing costs, reduced commute costs
• Benefits to Community: Reduced number of commuters coming into community every day

What are the costs of the program?

Cost to Employer: The total annual cost is $2703.60 including subsidy, administration and payroll taxes

Benefit to the Employee:  $4800 less $183.60 in payroll taxes and an individual amount in income taxes based on salary.

Livable Buckhead’s 2018 Buckhead Housing and Commute Study found that there was a mismatch between Buckhead’s growing jobs and available housing—which affected livability and affordability of Buckhead. These trends have only amplified since the pandemic.

• Only 7% of workers in the Buckhead commercial core live in the neighborhood.
• For workers making less than $40,000, only 4% live in the neighborhood.
• While some knowledge workers have moved to flexible work schedules, service sector employees continue to drive long distances to jobs in Buckhead.

Employer assisted housing (EAH) programs are methods employers can use to reduce their employee’s housing costs. Employers typically help their employees afford housing closer to their workplace. Assistance may be provided to defray ownership or rental costs, through loans, grants, monthly subsidies, or lease. Programs may either expand housing supply, subsidize housing costs, or increase housing accessibility with services. EAH Programs are used by employers to increase retention and create a competitive advantage. Programs are often limited to public employees, a single employer, or a single occupation.

To determine the feasibility of an EAH program, HR&A and Livable Buckhead completed 18 interviews—with a mix of public, private, and nonprofit firms with a presence in Buckhead and the greater Atlanta region.

The Buckhead Housing and Commute Study on Buckhead housing shows that increasing the number of workers who also live in the community could have a positive impact on local traffic. While only eight percent of the workforce – roughly 6,100 people — currently lives in Buckhead, the study proposes an action plan to almost triple that number and eliminate up to 300,000 miles of commute travel each day.

The action plan includes a combination of short, mid and long-term approaches that will connect workers to existing housing, preserve housing affordability and eventually lead to construction of new workforce housing. The study also included a market analysis to determine how many Buckhead workers would consider living in the community and how much housing is needed to accommodate them. The analysis identified demand for approximately 12,000 new units, split evenly between market rate options that appeal to high income households and units that are affordable for households making $50,000 or less annually. Proposed programs to meet that goal include attracting non-profit investment in workforce housing, promoting co-living and micro-units, and developing housing incentive programs.