By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | October 9, 2025

Mayor Andre Dickens has announced a new housing leadership team that is committed to shaping the City’s next chapter in affordable housing, homelessness response, and community development, instilling hope for a better future.

At the top of that team is Amanda Rhein, appointed Chief Housing Officer, effective January 2026. Rhein currently serves as Executive Director of the Atlanta Land Trust, where she has built one of the nation’s most successful community land trust models. Under her leadership, the organization has placed more than 100 homes into trust and has 100 more under development.

Rhein brings over two decades of experience in equitable development, affordable housing, and community revitalization. She previously led transit-oriented development (TOD) at MARTA, where she redeveloped more than 35 acres of underused surface parking at eight rail stations. Before that, she spent nearly a decade at Invest Atlanta, managing more than 30 projects that generated $3.5 billion in investment for underserved neighborhoods.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Rhein earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Boston College and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

“Amanda is a nationally respected leader whose experience, innovation, and track record of execution will serve the city well,” said Mayor Dickens. “With her leadership, we will continue to set national standards for how cities can tackle housing affordability with innovation and compassion.”

Strengthening the City’s Homelessness Response

Joining Rhein is Chatiqua Ellison, appointed Deputy Chief Housing Officer and Senior Advisor to the Mayor on Homelessness. An Atlanta native, Ellison has led several of the City’s most transformative housing efforts — including the Forest Cove Relocation, which successfully moved 193 families into safe, stable homes.

She also oversees the Rapid Housing Initiative, which has already created more than 300 of a targeted 500 quick-delivery homes for unhoused residents, including The Melody, Atlanta’s first container home community.

Ellison earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Spelman College and a Master of Public Policy in Urban Planning and Policy from Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.

Her leadership extends to chairing the City’s Homelessness Taskforce, where she helped establish coordinated encampment closure policies, and to partnering with Invest Atlanta to launch the Grocery Initiative, which expands access to fresh food in underserved neighborhoods and supports projects like The Azalea Market.

A Comprehensive Housing Leadership Team

The new housing leadership team will report directly to Chief of Staff Courtney English, aligning the City’s affordable housing, homelessness, and revitalization goals.

Other key appointments include:

• William Tucker, Director of the Housing Innovation Lab, leading creative housing affordability strategies.
• Katie Molla, Director of Special Projects, overseeing food access programs and Tax Allocation District implementation.
• Colin Delargy, Assistant Director, focusing on housing finance, planning, and policy.
• Carolyn Kovar, Assistant Director of Housing Delivery, coordinating affordable housing projects on public land.
• Matt Delicata, Senior Real Estate Advisor, specializing in large-scale real estate development.
• Chanel Ziesel, continuing as Director of Housing Policy, leading anti-blight and downtown revitalization initiatives.

“This team represents the best housing leadership in the country,” said Dickens. “Together, we’re not just building housing — we’re building pathways to stability, dignity, and opportunity for all.”

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