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As home prices rise, prospective buyers continue to bite their nails and wonder, “Where can I find affordable housing near Atlanta?” The affordable housing crisis is a nationwide conversation, but the Atlanta market is actively seeking solutions for its homebuyers. Mandy Crater, executive director of HomeAid Georgia, Natallie Keiser, executive director of HouseATL and Garrett Wiley, VP of government affairs at Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) sit down with Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the upcoming Housing Affordability Summit. Set for May 21 at GAHBA headquarters, this event will bring together professionals in the Atlanta housing sector and local legislators for a thorough discussion on affordable housing throughout the state.
“I’m excited to bring all my friends together in one room and talk about the need for more housing that is attainable,” said Crater. “There’s just a deficit of housing at all levels, but especially at the more affordable levels.”
Homebuilder Toolkit
HomeAid Georgia and HouseATL teamed up to create a toolkit for homebuilders, providing them with the knowledge and empowerment to pursue affordable housing options. This toolkit will launch at the Housing Affordability Summit, featuring case studies on Atlanta-specific projects and a focus on four partnership models – public sector, private sector, nonprofit sector and the philanthropic sector. Homebuilders can access design methods, land acquisition strategies, financing advice and more, right at their fingertips.
The average home price has risen 35% over the last five years, which dramatically affects first-time homebuyers and retirees looking to downsize. Keiser points out that homeownership is an avenue for equity and wealth, which is why the toolkit is so important for today’s builders and prospective buyers. Homebuilders are the “boots on the ground” at these communities, so it’s very important to include them in the conversation. They can paint a clear picture of the process, from acquisition to the final product.
“The challenges that we have in the housing market are serious,” said Keiser. “They are complex. They’re systemic. To address them, we need a broad base of knowledge, skills, creativity and resources and that’s what we try to bring that together.”
The toolkit includes a wide array of partnership examples, including projects by Fortis Homes, O’Dwyer Homes, Cityscape Housing, 3384 Residential and nonprofits partners Atlanta Land Trust, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership.
Housing Affordability Summit
“I feel like this forum is going to give us an opportunity to hear from several different sides, including the sort of regulatory issues that we’re dealing with,” said Crater. “It’s just a much clearer picture and a much broader conversation that I think needs to be had more often.”
One of the biggest topics expected at the Housing Affordability Summit is how building regulations play into the housing affordability crisis. Wiley points out that federal regulations are mandatory, but many of the state regulations fall directly into the hands of cities and counties.
“What I really want to hone in on is the interpretation of the regulation that goes into the scheduling of putting a house on the ground from property under contract to CO,” said Wiley. “What we want to discuss during the housing affordability forum with our elected officials and our counties and city staff members is how we can eliminate that gap.”
Georgia serves over 70 municipalities across 10 counties. Within those municipalities, there are many different ideas of what affordable housing really looks like. Wiley discusses the importance of educating legislators on how their policies affect the affordable housing crisis, for better and for worse.
“It is at the top list for just about every state legislator in the metro Atlanta area,” said Wiley. “In addition to that, on the local level, there are many initiatives within the cities and counties that these elected officials serve related to affordable housing.”
Many nonprofits are also frustrated that they cannot be more creative due to the rising costs of land in metro Atlanta. The reality that “household sizes are decreasing, but homes are not” is a major roadblock for organizations that seek to provide affordable housing. As the number of people living under one roof decreases, those homebuyers must still buy 2,500- to 3,000-square-foot residences because that is what is available in their counties.
Tune in to the full episode to learn more about the upcoming Housing Affordability Summit and visit https://www.atlantahomebuilders.com/events/housing-affordability-summit-2025.
About HomeAid Georgia
HomeAid Georgia is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001 as HomeAid Atlanta with a mission to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness build new lives through construction, community engagement, and education. In 2024, HomeAid Atlanta expanded its scope and became HomeAid Georgia to better serve the needs of the entire state. HomeAid builds, renovates, and maintains facilities for nonprofits serving people experiencing homelessness. HomeAid has completed over 200 construction projects at locations for victims of domestic violence, teen mothers, veterans and more, utilizing connections with building industry professionals and community organizations. HomeAid also provides essential items like diapers, wipes, and hygiene products to those affected by homelessness. Learn more at www.homeaidga.org.
About HouseATL
HouseATL is a cross-sector group of civic leaders that aims to coordinate affordable housing solutions for Atlanta. It looks at housing affordability through a comprehensive lens that includes equity and inclusion, access to regional transportation and more.
About Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association
Founded in 1945, the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) is a not-for-profit professional trade association that promotes Atlanta housing professionals. As one of more than 800 local home builder associations through the country, GAHBA boasts a diverse member directory of builders, remodelers and developers of all sizes, as well as trade contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, financial institutions, real estate companies, professional service providers and more.
Podcast Thanks
Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
