Executive Summary

Atlanta Land Trust (ALT) is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to preserving long-term housing affordability through the community land trust model. Formed to address displacement pressures that have historically accompanied large-scale urban redevelopment projects like the Atlanta Beltline, ALT has established itself as a credible, trusted, and highly effective partner within Atlanta’s housing ecosystem—working closely with the City of Atlanta, philanthropic institutions, developers, neighborhood organizations, and individual homeowners to create and steward permanently affordable homeownership opportunities.

For the past 7½ years, ALT has been led with distinction by Amanda Rhein. As noted by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Rhein’s leadership “transformed Atlanta Land Trust into a nationally recognized model.” Mayor Dickens recently tapped Ms. Rhein to become Atlanta’s Chief Housing Officer, effective January 2026, thus prompting the current executive search.

Atlanta Land Trust enters this leadership transition from a position of strength and momentum. The organization has a robust development pipeline, strong brand equity, a dedicated board and a small but highly capable staff delivering impact well beyond what would normally be expected of an organization its size.This is a successor search, not a turnaround. The next leader will inherit an active portfolio of projects and relationships and will be charged with stewarding a vital community asset while guiding ALT into its next phase of sustainable growth, influence and impact.The timing of this transition aligns with the conclusion of ALT’s current strategic plan and the launch of its next planning horizon, offering a rare opportunity for the new Executive Director to help translate strategic vision into execution at a pivotal moment for housing affordability in one of America’s most dynamic cities.

The Organization

Atlanta Land Trust operates at the intersection of real estate development, public policy, and community trust. Its work focuses primarily on permanently affordable homeownership, an area in which ALT has developed deep expertise and a distinctive, highly respected model. The work is complicated, multilayered, and challenging. As one board member remarked, “All the easy land is gone!” Accordingly, ALT routinely navigates multifaceted financings, regulatory constraints, tax allocation districts, public-private partnerships and neighborhood dynamics in pursuit of its mission.

ALT’s credibility is one of its greatest assets. The organization is widely viewed as a reliable problem solver and an honest broker capable of getting to yes in challenging, multi-party environments. Financially, ALT is stable, with robust unrestricted cash and operating reserves, providing flexibility and resilience as the organization plans for the future.

ALT’s staff is small, specialized, and deeply committed. Team members value their autonomy and flexibility, and they consistently note that ALT’s culture is a major contributor to staff effectiveness. At the same time, the organization recognizes vulnerabilities typical of lean, high-performing teams: limited redundancy, functional silos, and heavy reliance on the Executive Director for complex deal-making, external relationships, and institutional knowledge.

The Opportunity 

This leadership transition coincides with a moment of heightened civic focus on housing in Atlanta. Under Mayor Andre Dickens’s administration, the City has elevated affordable housing as a central priority, articulating an ambition to position Atlanta at the forefront of equitable and innovative housing solutions nationwide. As part of this agenda, the mayor tapped ALT’s Executive Director to serve as the City’s Chief Housing Officer—underscoring both the credibility ALT has earned and the organization’s integral role within Atlanta’s broader housing ecosystem.

ALT’s next leader will step into a moving river—with active deals underway, strong external expectations, and a team seeking continuity, clarity, and support during transition. The Executive Director will inherit an organization that is widely viewed as a trusted public–private partner and an effective problem-solver. The ED will be expected to steward this credibility carefully while guiding ALT through its next phase of growth, influence, and impact.

Board Partnership & Governance 

The Executive Director reports to an 18-person Board of Directors drawn from across the organization’s geographic and political footprint. The engaged, mission-driven board includes community housing specialists, real estate developers, bankers, civic leaders from a variety of contexts, and individual homeowners. The Board recognizes the importance of clear governance boundaries, open communication, and shared accountability during this transition and beyond.

The Relationships

The Executive Director:

• Reports to The Atlanta Land Trust Board of Directors
• Directs a four-person staff, including Director of Finance, Manager of Portfolio Development, Stewardship Manager,  and Stewardship Coordinator
• Works closely with a cross-section of regional leaders and organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who have a vested interest in ALT’s success and communities
• While stewarding other key relationships, including: Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and his key staff, Current and prospective ALT homeowners and their community representatives, Program partners, funders and collaborators, the philanthropic community, Peers in established and emerging land trusts elsewhere, and thought leaders and centers of excellence relevant to ALT’s priorities

Key Priorities 

The overarching goal for Atlanta Land Trust’s Executive Director over the next five years is the production of more permanently affordable housing units. Per the five-year strategic plan currently under final review by the board, ALT expects to produce 500 permanently affordable housing units by the end of 2030, up from a goal of 300 homes the past five years. Excluding the cost of land, that goal will require an estimated $62.5 million in subsidies raised. 

Presently, ALT has some 90 homes in trust (including 10 rental units operated by a partner organization) occupied by qualified families, 101 units in development, and 146 units identified as future development opportunities. Since its inception, ALT has built strong, trusted relationships with public, private, and nonprofit partners that provide support across various stages of ALT’s development process. A few examples:

• Atlanta Beltline Partnership secured a $3M grant from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget to support ALT townhomes along the Beltline. The Beltline Tax Allocation District has also supported ALT’s projects. 
• Public agencies like the Metro Atlanta Land Bank and Invest Atlanta provide land to ALT at discounted rates and offer project financing support.
• Philanthropies like the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation provide subsidies to cover the gap between the total development cost and what ALT homeowners can afford.
• Developers and construction partners support ALT with the design and construction of ALT projects across a range of typologies

To achieve ALT’s ambitious goals, the Executive Director must tackle three key priorities: 

• Build organizational resilience, with a focus on revenue models, partnerships and alliances
• Ensure staff capacity and standardize core systems and operating procedures 
• Elevate ALT’s visibility to broaden understanding, trust and support for the organization as a trusted, innovative partner in solving Atlanta’s housing challenges.

More specifically, the Executive Director will address five overlapping needs:

Strategic & Enterprise Leadership

• Translate ALT’s strategic plan into clear priorities and executable initiatives
• Balance growth ambitions with organizational capacity and risk tolerance
• Provide enterprise-wide perspective across real estate, stewardship, finance, and partnerships
• Bring real estate & development acumen to bear on one of Atlanta’s critical infrastructure initiatives.

Management of Complexity

• Bring sound judgment, creativity, and persistence to challenging projects for which complexity is a common factor
• Ensure ALT continues to be a capable, credible development partner, both in fact and in reputation.

People, Culture & Internal Systems 

• Sustain a culture of trust, autonomy, and collaboration
• Strengthen internal cohesion without overcentralizing decision-making
• Invest in staff development, role clarity, and succession resilience

Fundraising, Visibility & External Engagement

• Serve as a compelling public voice for ALT’s mission and model—essential to the $60+mm capital raise over the next five years
• Cultivate and steward strong relationships with philanthropic, corporate, and public-sector partners, expanding ALT’s network of support
• Continue to elevate ALT’s profile through thoughtful media, civic engagement, and storytelling
• Advocate for the inclusion of permanently affordable units in any relevant deals involving public land, funding, or other public support.

Financial & Operational Stewardship

• Oversee financial operations, audits, and controls with rigor and transparency
• Strengthen financial reporting and planning processes to ensure operational and financial data are both timely and relevant
• Partner effectively with the Board on governance, strategy, and mutual accountability.

The Ideal Candidate

The most interesting prospects will offer a compelling mix of many of the following:

Professional Experience

• Senior leadership experience in affordable housing, community development, real estate development, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated success navigating complex real estate or financing environments
• Experience leading or significantly contributing to fundraising and resource development at scale
• Compelling record of working effectively with boards, public agencies, and diverse community partners and stakeholders

Leadership & Personal Attributes

• Deep alignment with ALT’s mission and its central belief in the value of permanent affordability
• High emotional intelligence; a collaborative, respectful, and approachable leadership style that resonates with individuals and institutions
• The comfort and skill to work effectively and authentically with neighborhood representatives and community organizations
• Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and persuasively to varied audiences
• Comfort leading through ambiguity and complexity; strong problem-solving instincts
• Commitment to mission combined with authentic support for the people ALT impacts Innate assets of credibility, authenticity, and resilience

Context & Location

• Familiarity with Atlanta’s housing, civic, and philanthropic ecosystem would be a distinct plus. Candidates from other markets must demonstrate a transferable record of trust and local-market fluency.

Looking Ahead

Atlanta Land Trust already plays a vital role as a steward of lasting affordability—helping ensure that Atlanta’s growth strengthens communities, anchors families, and creates pathways to generational prosperity.

ALT’s Executive Director will have the rare opportunity to lead a credible, nimble, and impactful organization at a moment when housing affordability is absolutely central to Atlanta’s future. ALT’s Executive Director will shape not only the organization’s trajectory, but also the broader conversation about equitable homeownership, affordability and prosperity in one of the nation’s most dynamic cities.

The Location

Atlanta is a city of extraordinary growth and possibility—and one increasingly focused on ensuring that opportunity is shared. Under Mayor Andre Dickens, the City of Atlanta has elevated housing affordability as a core civic priority, advancing policies and investments to preserve affordability, expanding homeownership, and stabilizing neighborhoods amid rapid change.

And yet, Atlanta is also widely cited as having one of the largest wealth gaps among major U.S. cities, underscoring the persistent racial and economic inequities that accompany the metro area’s success. Expanding access to affordable homeownership is widely recognized as one of the most powerful tools for closing the racial wealth gap and improving long-term economic mobility.

You can find the full Leadership Profile here: https://bit.ly/ALTLeadershipProfile