Six years ago, Atlanta's housing agency for the poor struck a deal that could now lead it to subsidize homes and shopping for the well-off, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation found.

Renee Glover, then Atlanta Housing Authority's CEO, gave partnerships led by prominent developer Integral Group seven years to decide whether to buy more than 100 parcels of the authority's land at steep discounts.

Much of it is near booming luxury construction where affordable housing is growing scare, or close to the Beltline, where values are expected to skyrocket.

 Public land involved in the deal is near downtown and next door to booming luxury construction. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Credit: Willoughby Mariano

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Credit: Willoughby Mariano

But none of it was envisioned for affordable housing -- even as Atlanta is facing an affordable housing crisis.

Now Integral, led by prominent developer Egbert Perry, wants to acquire the land. In fact, Perry and Glover think he's entitled to it.

But current AHA leadership wants out, and one local housing advocate calls it a "government giveaway."

An AJC investigation shows how two decades they spent tearing down Atlanta's public housing projects resulted in this deal.

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Bob Banks is an actor, known for Supercool (2021), Outer Banks (2020), The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017), Antwone Fisher (2002), Love Crimes (1992), Midnight Edition (1993), Daddy’s Little Girls (2007) Selma, Lord, Selma (1999), In the Heat of the Night (TV Series) (1991-1993), and I’ll Fly Away (TV Series) (1991-1992). Bob is an accomplished Voice Over (VO) Actor and lives in Atlanta, GA.

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Corbin Spencer, right, field director of New Georgia Project and volunteer Rodney King, left, help Rueke Uyunwa register to vote. The influential group is shutting down after more than a decade. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2017)

Credit: Hyosub Shin