Willow Branch Apartments

Willow Branch is an apartment community located in unincorporated Clarkston, Georgia, that was built in 1972. The Development Team submitted an application to Decide DeKalb Development Authority for an EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund award to support the remediation and abatement of asbestos-related environmental contaminants detected in the residential buildings and office building.

The Developer is proposing to acquire and renovate Willow Branch to improve the quality of life of its residents. The property is 13.7 acres and includes 186 residential rental units across 14 multifamily rental buildings, a leasing office and community building, paved surface parking and driveways, with a creek running through a portion of the center of the property. Willow Branch has maintained multifamily residential use since construction in 1971, undergoing moderate renovations in 1996. Rents are maintained to support residents earning up to 55% AMI.

Willow Branch is one of eight Star-C Properties in the Metro Atlanta area. Star-C programs partner with property owners/managers to provide affordable apartment community residents with wrap-around services to reduce transiency, provide academic support, and improve quality of life for individuals and neighborhoods. Willow Branch residents have access to wraparound services including Health & Wellness programs, Food Security (with community gardens located on-site), Star-C Select (tailored resources per apartment community), After-School Care, and Summer Camp programs at no cost to families.

In 2024, the Developer was awarded a 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (“LIHTC”) allocation by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (“DCA”) which will be used, in part, to finance the rehabilitation project. Rents will reserved for households earning 50%, 60% and 70% of the area median income (“AMI”). Abatement and remediation is anticipated to last 24 months, followed by a 20-month renovation schedule, with completion projected by mid-2028.