Older homeowners seeking to downsize and younger adults looking for a first home face a shared challenge in North Fulton: finding smaller housing they can afford near jobs, family and services.
That was the focus of an Oct. 26 episode of North Fulton Voices, featuring Geoff Koski, president of Atlanta real estate and planning firm KB Advisory Group.
Koski joined North Fulton Improvement Network leaders Jack Murphy and Nancy Diamond to discuss how the region’s housing supply serves residents at different stages of life.
In a Sept. 11 letter published by Appen Media, NFIN leaders estimated that North Fulton’s six cities together had roughly 51,500 residents age 65 and older, compared with 49,200 ages 25–34.
Their analysis used 2019–2023 American Community Survey estimates for Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell and Sandy Springs. The rounded totals describe the combined area, rather than establishing the same pattern in each city.
In Johns Creek, Census estimates for 2020–2024 put the median value of owner-occupied homes at $629,400 and the owner-occupancy rate at 80.4%, according to Census QuickFacts. The home-value figure describes existing housing, not current sale prices.
Koski said many longtime homeowners remain in houses built for larger families because suitable downsizing options are limited. Younger buyers also need smaller, lower-maintenance homes, he said.
He pointed to cottage courts, duplexes and fourplexes as potential options, while arguing that local zoning often restricts their construction. In Roswell, he identified commercial redevelopment areas as opportunities to add housing.
The issue also affects employers, Koski said. Workers unable to afford nearby housing commute farther and spend more of their earnings in the communities where they live.
KB Advisory Group served on Roswell’s comprehensive-plan consulting team and conducts housing research for Alpharetta. NFIN advocates expanding housing choices to help older residents stay locally and younger households establish themselves.
