Closing the Wealth Gap: How the Atlanta Land Trust is Redefining Homeownership

In Atlanta, the racial wealth gap is staggering.

The average white household holds 46 times more wealth than the average Black household. One major reason is homeownership, and who gets to buy a home. If we want cities that are truly inclusive and resilient, bold new approaches are needed to help families build wealth and stay in place. This episode explores one such solution: permanently affordable homeownership that keeps longtime residents rooted in their community even as neighborhoods change.

Host Ade Sanusi sits down with Amanda Rhein, Executive Director of the Atlanta Land Trust, to discuss how the community land trust model is bridging the gap between renting and owning. They explore how taking land out of the speculative market can stabilize neighborhoods and create permanently affordable homes for first-generation homebuyers. You’ll learn how Amanda and her team are making it possible for families who have shaped Atlanta to remain rooted as the city grows, building equity through homeownership without fear of displacement.

What you’ll hear:

• Why homeownership is key to closing Atlanta’s 46:1 racial wealth gap.

• How the community land trust model permanently locks in affordability by placing land in community control.

• How Atlanta Land Trust serves as a stepping stone from renting to owning, so families aren’t displaced by rising housing costs.

• What it takes to scale this model, leveraging public incentives and partnerships to keep housing affordable for generations.

• The real-world impact: families using affordable homeownership to pursue education and build generational wealth.

About Our Guest:
Amanda Rhein is the Executive Director of the Atlanta Land Trust, a nonprofit creating permanently affordable housing near the Atlanta BeltLine and throughout the city. A seasoned real estate professional with extensive experience in public-private partnerships and community development, she previously served as Senior Director of Transit-Oriented Development at MARTA, where she helped build transit-connected communities and promote equitable growth. Amanda also spent a decade at Invest Atlanta, focusing on revitalizing the city’s most underserved neighborhoods.

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