The mission of the Community Design Center of Atlanta (CDCA) was unusual:
“Every resident has the right and a responsibility to participate in finding solutions to the problems besetting urban America. The CDCA acts as a steward of educated community development skills, for those that may not have the knowledge or the funds to attain quality professional services.”
However, before reviewing a brief snapshot of its history, know that something happened — it disappeared. Therefore, we only have the following explanation:
The IRS automatically revoked this organization’s exempt status for failure to file a Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-N, or 990-PF for three consecutive years. Further investigation and due diligence are warranted. The CDCA had not appeared on the IRS Business Master File in several months. It may have merged with another organization or ceased operations.
The Community Design Center of Atlanta
Established in 1977, The Community Design Center of Atlanta (CDCA) became one of the longest-standing planning and design assistance providers to community-based organizations in the metro-Atlanta area. As a nonprofit corporation responding to low-income community-based groups’ planning and design needs in housing commercial street revitalization, it became heavily involved in evaluating the impacts of the ’96 Olympics on core city neighborhoods in Atlanta.
Projects/Services 1996:
- Land and housing use development plans for Atlanta neighborhoods impacted by Olympic venue sites for the 1996 Olympic Games
- A community Outreach Partnership Center – HUD. CDCA is administering the Atlanta COPC in cooperation with the Atlanta Project, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia State University.
- A tax analysis and Geographic Information System (GIS) land development analysis for Atlanta neighborhood development plans
- Multi-family, single family housing design for new construction and rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of existing structures for affordable housing and housing for people with special needs.
- Impact analysis and market research and site design assistance to public housing residents displaced by redevelopment projects.
| Annual Budget (1996 ) | $170,000 |
| Architects: | 2 |
| Planners: | 6 |
| Total Full-Time Staff: | 4 |
| Average Annual Number of Clients: | 20 |
| Year Formed: | 1976 |
| Type of Organization: | Nonprofit planning and architectural design corporation |
| Purpose: | To provide community development services to Atlanta’s low- and moderate-income neighborhoods |
| Services: | Planning, architectural design, market studies, and development impact research |
| Publication(s)/Cost: | Nonprofit Housing Supply – The Atlanta Case for Ford/MIT Human Services, Housing & Transportation – Impacts on Six Low-Income Neighborhoods by the ’96 Olympics Variety of Neighborhood Plans for Atlanta’s NPUs. |
| Fee for Services Policy: | Direct Cost |
| Area(s) Served: | Atlanta metropolitan area. |