Southface has long worked in the affordable housing space. We believe focusing on the preservation and creation of healthy, comfortable and efficient affordable housing is critical to sustainable and resilient communities. This means achieving total affordability and high quality of life for those who are striving to maintain both in the face of rampant development and the adverse impacts of climate change.

As a TransFormation Alliance member, Southface developed the Equity Evaluator Tool to appropriately contextualize and shape development proposals with a more focused lens on equity, community needs and affordability. The Tool is based on a robust analysis of indicators related to area, including median income, job access and walkability. The Tool can be customized to evaluate the specific needs of local communities and neighborhoods, as well as the physical form of development, and appropriate affordability across income levels.

By partnering with state and local governments and other nonprofits to engage the community and key stakeholders, Southface is a powerful advocate for the adoption of sustainable development practices. The focus of our work includes high-performance building codes and zoning, as well as development practices that support accessible, healthy and resource-efficient buildings and communities. Initiatives include the City of Decatur High Performance Building Ordinance, the Tiny House Feasibility Study and active participation in the Georgia State Codes Advisory Committee.