Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. is pleased to announce that Dwayne C. Vaughn has been appointed to the newly-created position of Vice President of Housing Policy and Development. In this role, Mr. Vaughn will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer and executive team providing senior level leadership, innovation and focus to achieve ABl’s affordable workforce housing goals and initiatives. He will work collaboratively with neighborhoods, city leaders, developers, housing providers and numerous other private and public stakeholders to help ensure that ABl’s housing efforts provide workforce families the opportunity to live and thrive within the Atlanta BeltLine’s impact areas. Mr. Vaughn, a seasoned housing and real estate professional, is a strong advocate of affordable and workforce housing as an essential element to stimulate vibrant, healthy and diverse mixed- income communities.

ABI is tasked with overseeing the creation of 5,600 units of affordable housing within the TAD in cooperation with its housing partners. To date, 2,565 affordable units have been created within walking distance of the Atlanta BeltLine in conjunction with Invest Atlanta, the Department of Community Affairs, and Atlanta Housing Authority. 822 affordable units have been created in the TAD.

“Dwayne is an exceptional addition to ABI,” said Brian McGowan, President and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. “He brings creativity and collaboration to the job as ABI continues to support Atlanta’s affordable housing leaders and prioritize Atlanta residents, equity, and inclusion in our housing efforts.”

Prior to his appointment at ABl, Mr. Vaughn served as Executive Director of the Mobile Housing Board and affiliated entities.  MHB is the second largest affordable housing agency in Alabama serving 6,000+ workforce and low-income families through its affordable housing units, tax credit sponsored units, affordable homeownership units, market units, and housing assistance funded by the public-private partnership vehicle known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Mr. Vaughn exercised day-to-day leadership and oversight of MHB’s annual budgets ranging up to $57 million and up to 160 employees.  While at MHB, Mr. Vaughn provided leadership for the development of a comprehensive six-year, $439+ million Housing Transformation Plan 2020 designed to redevelop or reposition severely distressed and aging housing communities into vibrant, seamless, and market quality mixed-income, mixed-use communities as a catalyst for redevelopment in key neighborhoods.

Mr. Vaughn also worked in the Atlanta metro area, primarily as an attorney, providing strategic legal, business, and risk management advice for small and medium-sized businesses, individuals and affordable housing providers. His services focused heavily in the areas of real estate (commercial and residential), affordable housing, Housing Choice Voucher programs, business law, civil rights, litigation, employment law and management systems administration.    

Mr. Vaughn has held the staff positions of Director of Special Initiatives, Assistant Director for Housing Operations, and Deputy General Counsel with the Atlanta Housing Authority.

Mr. Vaughn served on various community and regional boards, including the BBVA Compass Bank Community Reinvestment Act Community Advisory Committee helping to advise on the proposed $11 Billion investment of BBVA in affordable housing and lending to underserved communities, organizations and individuals.  Mr. Vaughn is a member of Leadership Alabama and various affordable housing trade organizations.

Mr. Vaughn graduated from Howard University and holds a law degree from Rutgers School of Law, Newark, New Jersey.  He is married to his college sweetheart and they have five children.  Mr. Vaughn understands the importance of solving housing problems in partnership with the broader community.  He is excited to return to Atlanta and actively participate in ABl’s affordable housing initiatives.