A Historic Green Book Hotel Becomes 102 Affordable Homes

A piece of Atlanta's Black history has a new purpose.

The former Waluhaje Hotel in northwest Atlanta has been redeveloped as Heritage Village at West Lake, a community of 102 affordable apartments. The hotel was once listed in the Green Book, the guide Black Americans used during segregation to find hotels, restaurants, and other businesses where they would be welcome and safe.

The Waluhaje opened in 1951 and quickly became a gathering place for Atlanta's Black community, welcoming prominent guests such as Thurgood Marshall. It later became part of a Job Corps campus and eventually sat vacant. Today, it is home to residents again.

102 Affordable Apartments

Heritage Village offers 102 one-bedroom apartments for households earning around 30% of the area median income. Atlanta Housing supports every unit through its HomeFlex program, which ties rental assistance to participating properties.

Twenty-four of the apartments are permanent supportive housing for young adults ages 18 to 24 who are aging out of foster care. Other units are set aside for people who have experienced homelessness. Residents can also access supportive services and workforce development programs aimed at long-term stability.

Preserving More Than a Building

There is something fitting about the Waluhaje's next chapter. Over 70 years ago, it gave Black travelers a place they knew they could stay. Now it offers affordable homes to people who might otherwise struggle to find stable housing.

Heritage Village shows what is possible when historic preservation, rental assistance, and supportive services come together in one development.

Sources: CBS Atlanta, Atlanta Housing