Transformative initiative will bring 204 affordable rental homes to former Pelfrey Pines site

Pennrose, The Roswell Housing Authority (RHA), and project partners celebrated the groundbreaking of RHA Redevelopment Phase I, the first step in a two-phase initiative to revitalize the former Pelfrey Pines housing development into a 204-unit affordable, energy-efficient community. Phase I is expected to be completed in early 2027.

Speakers at the ceremony included: Kurt Wilson, Mayor, City of Roswell; Christopher Nunn, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Community Affairs; Nate Porter, Board Chair, Roswell Housing Authority; Beth Brown, Executive Director, Gainesville Housing Authority; Sarah Kirsch, Managing Director, Housing Funds, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta; Kimmel Cameron, Senior Vice President, Hudson Housing; and Ivy Dench Carter, Senior Vice President Community Revitalization, Pennrose.

Phase I will deliver 102 modern units, offering 99 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments. The single building will accommodate residents at a wide range of incomes, with units available to households at 30% to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Fifty units are supported through Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and the remaining 52 are Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) units through an existing Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract.

“We’re proud to join The Roswell Housing Authority in breathing new life into the site and helping to ensure residents of all incomes have access to the opportunities and amenities that make Roswell so special,” said Will Eckstein, regional vice president at Pennrose. “By fostering an inclusive, thriving community, we hope the redevelopment will serve as a successful model for integrating quality, mixed-income housing into high-opportunity areas across the state.”

Phase I will deliver robust amenities for residents, including a fitness center, mailroom, community space, activity room, rooftop terrace, central laundry, and on-site maintenance and management. Residents will also enjoy the area’s fantastic location with access to public parks, trails, top-rated schools, and Roswell’s historic downtown.

The 95-unit Pelfrey Pines was demolished in March 2025 due to significant disrepair. Once complete, Phase II will add another 102 units of mixed-income housing across the street. Of the 204 total apartments, 95 will be subsidized by RAD funds, ensuring residents from the original units will have the first right to return with the same rent obligation.

Phase I was funded through a combination of 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and soft financing sources, including $4.7 million from Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) ERA2,

$3.3 million from DCA National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), $2 million from the City of Roswell, and $3.6 million from Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (CFGA) “TogetherATL Funds.”

In addition to RHA, Pennrose will partner with Smith Dalia Architects, H.J. Russell & Company, and Thompson Ehle Company on the project, bringing together a highly experienced team with a proven track record in quality affordable housing development.

With a regional headquarters in Atlanta, Pennrose has experience developing high-quality, supportive affordable housing throughout Georgia and the Southeast region of the country. Recently, Pennrose and the Atlanta Housing Authority closed on the financing for Phase III of Herndon Square, a mixed-income, multifamily redevelopment of a former public housing community. Last fall, Pennrose and medical services provider Mercy Care celebrated the grand opening of McAuley Station, which delivered 170 high-quality, mixed-income apartments adjacent to the Mercy Care campus in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood.