A new community is coming to Cobb Parkway, and it’s not just about housing—it’s about hope.
A new 15-home development, Emmanuel’s Village, designed to give homeless children and their families a safe place to land and rebuild their lives.
💡 Why It Matters: This isn’t just a housing project; it’s a lifeline. With over 560 students in Marietta City Schools identified as unhoused, Emmanuel’s Village aims to provide stability for families while helping kids focus on what they need most: being kids.
Thatcher Young, who presented the project to city council members this week called attention to what he called a ” major homelessness crisis in our city.”
But it’s more than just a roof. Families will receive guidance from case managers to connect with resources, find jobs, and develop financial skills for long-term independence.
🏡 What’s Happening: Emmanuel’s Village will turn an unused 1.4-acre lot on Cobb Parkway into a community of tiny homes. Each home is designed for families, offering:
• A bedroom for adults, a loft for kids, and essential living spaces like a kitchen and bathroom.
• Access to a playground, a community garden, and a pavilion to foster connection.
• The property is adjacent to Glory Haus.
• According to Young, many of the families are homeless because of a medical emergency and medical bills or a lost job. “They’ve had some unfortunate event — maybe a medical emergency, they’ve lost a job — but that’s caused them to lose their home,” he said.
• Family Promise will help run Emmanuel’s Village.
🤔 Between the Lines: Yes, there were zoning hurdles. Tiny homes don’t fit neatly into Marietta’s planning categories, requiring variances and creative thinking. But the council prioritized the urgency of helping families now, rather than waiting to rewrite zoning laws.
• Some residents expressed concerns about whether the location was appropriate for a residential development.
• Others, including council members, pushed back, emphasizing the immediate need to support these students.
🌍 Broader Perspective: Imagine trying to ace your spelling test after sleeping in a car. Or wondering where you’ll shower before walking into your third-grade classroom. For many Marietta kids, this is the reality.
Marietta families will now have a place to start over, backed by support systems like Family Promise of Cobb County and MUST Ministries. It’s a step toward addressing the homelessness crisis and creating a brighter future for Marietta’s children.
🏘️ Where It’s Worked: In Roswell in neighboring Fulton County, two similar programs, The Drake House and Homestretch were created to help house children and their families facing homelessness with the idea of transitioning them into a permanent housing situation. Both programs have existed and worked for over 20 years.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
