Atlanta Mission cancels plan for large homeless service hub near Beltline's Westside Trail

A service hub for Atlanta's unhoused population planned near the Beltline's Westside Trail is going back to the drawing board.

The over-15-acre site on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway was set to be home to a large Atlanta Mission campus, designed to offer resources to those in the city who are unhoused.

The project would have brought multiple services to one location, consolidating much of what the city's largest provider of unhoused services does.

From the start, some residents and businesses pushed back on the plan, saying that the development disrupted their community and left them concerned over safety.

In May, the Atlanta City Council passed a resolution temporarily putting the project on hold, citing concerns about land use, zoning, and community concerns. That pause was set to expire in August.

Now the Atlanta Mission says that it is withdrawing from building the campus on the Westside site.

In a statement, the organization said it made the decision after speaking with community members and local leaders.

"Atlanta Mission remains committed to building a purpose-built, trauma-informed campus that delivers wraparound care with excellence, compassion, and dignity. Throughout this process, we've listened to community members, engaged local leaders, and worked to balance the urgency of our mission with the long-term interests of the neighborhood," the statement read. "After much prayer and thoughtful consideration, we've determined the best path forward is to pursue another location where this vision can best succeed for those we serve and the surrounding community."

The Atlanta Mission did not say where they may be looking to build the campus now that the plan has changed.