Atlanta, Georgia – The City of Atlanta has officially closed the Old Wheat Street encampment. This is a big step in its plan to help homeless people through compassionate and organized intervention. The closure, which happened on Thursday, July 10, came after three months of direct communication and planning, all based on the recommendations of the City’s 90-Day Homelessness Task Force.
Before the site was cleared, groups like Restoring One’s Hope of Atlanta and InTown Cares worked closely with the people who lived there. These outreach teams were very helpful because they helped residents find housing, set up transportation, and make sure they could get to important services. Signage announcing the closure had been posted at the site more than two weeks prior, ensuring those affected had time and support to prepare for the transition.
Most of the people who used to live at the encampment are now expected to move into Welcome House, which offers both short-term and long-term shelter and support. The facility can provide not only shelter but also wraparound services including personalized case management and resource coordination that are specific to each resident’s requirements.
Mayor Andre Dickens highlighted that the city will keep treating homeless people with respect while making sure that public areas are safe and open to all Atlantans.
“Since Day One of our Administration, we have made it our mission to house our residents in need with dignity, while closing dozens of encampments that pose health and public safety concerns to the city,” said Mayor Andre Dickens. “The residents of the Old Wheat Street encampment have received months of outreach and support, and now they have access to a safe, stable and comfortable environment with services tailored to their needs.”
The 90-Day Homelessness Task Force, which is made up of more than 30 partners from the nonprofit, advocacy, and public sectors, is in charge of the closure. The Task Force came up with a new way to handle encampments in Atlanta after the City Council passed legislation (25-R-3086) to create it.
Some important parts of their final proposals are a trauma-informed strategy to outreach, a housing-first mindset, better safety measures like thermal scanning and visual tagging, and surveillance after the closure to prevent people from moving back in.
The city’s approach to homelessness has changed. Now, they focus on long-term stability for individuals while also addressing public health and safety in a logical and sensitive way.
Residents can go to the official city website to learn more about how Atlanta is dealing with homelessness and to read the Task Force’s final report.
