Understanding the Need

On Atlanta’s Westside, in zip code 30314, decades of neglect and disinvestment have gradually taken their toll on this once-proud neighborhood. Here, one finds the state’s highest incidences of poverty, incarceration rates, and teen pregnancies. Here, crime is rampant, and prostitution and drug deals occur in an open- air market. Here, the majority of housing stock is abandoned or derelict, with boarded-up and burnt-out shells lining the streets. In 30314, the problems are pervasive, and the needs are enormous.