Sweet Auburn Green & Equitable (SAGE) District Framework

Sweet Auburn’s rich cultural legacy as a historic center of African American entrepreneurship faced new threats from gentrification and potential displacement, despite the neighborhood’s positioning for significant growth and investment. Community organizations had already established a vision for development that would preserve the area’s identity while addressing economic and environmental injustices, but needed a concrete roadmap to move from planning to action. HR&A collaborated closely with neighborhood leaders and citywide partners to transform this community vision into actionable strategies. The team conducted extensive stakeholder engagement to identify and prioritize development projects that aligned with resident needs and values, while designing governance structures that would ensure sustained community control over future investment decisions.

The resulting SAGE District framework provides a replicable model for community-led development that other neighborhoods can adapt, complete with funding strategies and governance mechanisms that center community ownership. HR&A’s work culminated in both concrete next steps for Sweet Auburn and increased visibility for the initiative through strategic community engagement events, positioning local organizations to secure resources and partnerships needed to implement their vision for equitable neighborhood transformation.