As examined in a previous post on this blog, one aftereffect of the recession was decline in home ownership due to foreclosures and more stringent loan requirements. According to a recent report by the Pew Research Center, the post-recession home ownership rates have declined most sharply among householders who are African American, young, or in the lowest income brackets. Analysis shows that, on the whole, the metro region did experience this decline in the proportion of home owners, but within the region the picture is more varied. The map below looks at the spatial distribution– across the Atlanta Metro region between 2000 and 2016–of the percentage point change in the share of total households that own their units. All of the areas in yellow, orange, and red exhibited a decline in the share of owner-occupied housing units. Areas of the varying shades of green exhibited an increase in the proportion of housing units being occupied by homeowners. Home ownership levels are declining in areas such as SW Atlanta, south Clayton County, and southern DeKalb; share of home ownership are increasing in core areas of the City of Atlanta–likely as a result of added condo construction along with some conversions of rental housing over the period.
