Core faculty: Professors Gregory Randolph, Emily Barrett, and Jennifer Hirsch (SCORE).
The Housing and Community Development specialization’s central goal is providing students with the knowledge and skills to guide the housing, community, and real estate development activities of public, private, and/or nonprofit institutions. Graduates pursue careers in all three sectors, and, because contemporary development frequently involves multiple sectors, understanding how the differing perspectives of each sector shape their approaches to development is essential.
A second aim of the specialization is to focus the acquisition of knowledge and skills on urban and suburban real estate development and infill, in both the residential and commercial sectors. This is where much and perhaps most future development will take place over the next generation.
The housing and community development specialization addresses a wide range of analytical and development skills such as: (1) analyzing project net present value and internal rate of return under different tax and concession scenarios; (2) organizing community development action at the neighborhood and grass-roots level to achieve equitable community outcomes; (3) analyzing the impacts of public subsidy mechanisms such as tax abatement, tax increment financing, subsidized loans, historic preservation tax credits, and sale-leaseback financing on project feasibility; (4) assessing distinctions between the market concepts of “demand” and the social and political constructs of “need;” (5) evaluating the impact of subsidy programs as the Low Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, mortgage subsidy programs, and others on meeting low income housing and community development needs; and (6) investigating how real estate markets function within ever-evolving market and institutional contexts.
The specialization prepares students for careers in housing, community, and real estate development occupations with planning and/or development authorities, public housing authorities, local land banks, and state housing or development authorities. Private sector careers include real estate research firms, private development companies, financial institutions, and development consortia. Nonprofit sector careers include nonprofit developers, community-based community development corporations, development intermediaries, and technical assistance providers.
The housing and community development specialization requires two foundational courses:
CP 6612 Community Development (annual)
CP 6630 Government and Housing Markets (annual)
In addition, students must take two additional courses (minimum of 12 credit hours total), which may be selected from those listed below or as approved by any specialization faculty and your faculty advisor.
CP 6112 Introduction to Land Use (annual)
CP 6233 Sustainable Urban Development (annual)
CP 6611 Real Estate Finance and Development (annual)
CP 6640 Applied Real Estate Methods (annual)
CP 6832 Introduction to Urban Design (last taught 5+ years ago)
CP 6834 Urban Design Policy: Analysis and Implementation (annual)
CP 6442 Equity, Social Justice and Economic Development (unlikely to be offered soon)
CP 6412 Foundations of Local Economic Development Planning and Policy (annual)
CP 6452 Urban Development Policy (last taught 5+ years ago)
CP 6552 Urban Ecological Design (annual)
PUBP 6604 Urban Policy Analysis and Planning
Additional graduate courses at Georgia Tech, Georgia State, or Emory University might be eligible to be considered as the housing and community development specialization courses, subject to the approval of at least one member of the specialization faculty (currently only Professor Kim) and your advisor. However, the three foundational courses will not be waived without an explicit course waiver from the instructor and your advisor, per the usual requirements.
