Housing Crisis: The Game Simulates Struggles of Renters in Atlanta

Background of ‘The Game’

At a recent housing affordability workshop in Atlanta, participants experienced the complex journey into the life of an Atlanta renter named Nicole through a simulation exercise. Nicole, in this scenario, is a single working mother of twin middle schoolers, one of whom is an aspiring violinist. Having recently secured a job as a receptionist in a law firm in Atlanta at $46,000 annually, Nicole is on the hunt for an apartment. This sets the stage for the game that transpired at this engaging workshop.

The Nature of the Exercise

The workshop was organized by the Neighborhood Planning Unit University (NPU-U), a city initiative that aims to educate residents about public policy, urban planning, and zoning. The crux of this exercise was to instill a sense of empathy and understanding in the participants so that they can comprehend the difficulties faced by people like Nicole. It aimed to shed light on the reality of the housing market and to brainstorm ideas on how it can be improved.

Divided into groups, the participants were given various scenarios. Our group, comprising of a CDC employee, a real estate agent, and a loofah farmer, chose Nicole’s story.

The Truth Behind ‘Affordable Housing’

Nicole’s annual income qualified her for government-subsidized housing. However, how to allocate her income among rent, groceries, and utilities, was a tough nut to crack. The calculations were based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s stipulations on affordable apartments’ costs. It soon became apparent that this standard definition of affordable housing overlooked several crucial factors.

We were handed a worksheet that assumed Nicole would live in a one-bedroom apartment. As per our calculation, she would spend nights in the living room while her kids shared the bedroom. According to estimates, after considering payroll taxes, a 30-day MARTA pass, groceries per person, and utilities, she would be left with a few hundred dollars.

The Reality Check

After a rigorous exercise, it was disheartening to conclude that Nicole would be practically penniless at the end of the month. Such an alarming finding opened our eyes to the stark reality of how HUD’s affordable housing standards and income limits leave families with little room for financial stability. The lack of flexibility left no cushion for uncertainties like health emergencies or unforeseen expenses.

The exercise shed light on affordability issues in the housing market and the need for a change in the way we define ‘affordable housing’. Our group members, despite being aware of these issues, gained a new perspective on the intricacies of the housing market.

A Call for More Empathetic Housing Policies

This exercise underscored the need for a more empathetic approach towards housing policy formulation. Addressing these affordability issues will require more targeted and comprehensive policy interventions. Only then can we ensure that situations like Nicole’s become anomalies rather than the norm. We hope that such experiential learning exercises can contribute to that change and kindle more discussions around the housing affordability crisis in Atlanta.