HouseATL has selected Karen Hatcher as advisory board co-chair for a two-year term beginning Oct. 1, 2026. Hatcher will co-lead the advisory board alongside Alan Ferguson, DeKalb county chief housing officer. She succeeds Keitt King, president of Truist Community Capital, who is completing his dedicated leadership as Co-Chair..

HouseATL relies on the passionate commitment of civic, corporate, and community leaders who volunteer their time and expertise to drive housing affordability across metro Atlanta. Over the past four years, King served first as treasurer and then as co-chair. He will continue in his term as a board director, working alongside fellow board directors to strengthen HouseATL's cross- sector coalition. He brought more than 30 years of banking and community development finance experience to the role.

"HouseATL's strength has always come from the people who show up for this work, and our advisory board leads by example," said HouseATL Executive Director Natallie Keiser. "We're grateful to Keitt for sharing his affordable housing finance expertise as treasurer and co-chair, and we're excited to welcome Karen alongside Alan. Together with our advisory board and members, they'll help us keep building towards a metro Atlanta where every family has a home they can afford."

Hatcher, CEO and qualifying broker of Sovereign Realty & Management, brings nearly two decades of real estate investment, property management, and affordable housing development experience. In 2022, she made history as the first African American woman elected president of the Atlanta Realtors Association in its 112-year history. A Certified Property Manager named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Power 100 list and recognized as a Woman of Influence by both the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the Atlanta Business League, Hatcher has devoted her career to creating stable, vibrant communities.

"As a property manager, I see every day what happens when a family finds a home they can afford and keep. They put down roots, their kids stay in the same school and neighborhoods grow stronger," said Hatcher. "HouseATL brings together leaders from every corner of our housing ecosystem to make that stability a reality. I'm honored to serve alongside Alan and build on the strong foundation Keitt helped lay."

"Karen understands the everyday realities of Atlanta renters and homeowners, and she has spent her career putting solutions into action," said Ferguson. "I'm excited to partner with her, our advisory board and members to forge the cross-sector partnerships that get more families into homes they can afford."

The leadership transition coincides with an active fall schedule for HouseATL, including:

● Dream HOME Expo: Oct. 3 at the Morrow Center in Clayton County, for prospective homebuyers and current homeowners
● Member Convening and Clayton County Housing Forum: Oct. 20

Event registration and full details are available at houseatl.org.