HousingATL explains various issues related to housing affordability. It is a cross-sector action plan for housing affordability and community retention in the City of Atlanta.

Afordable Housing for which the occupants are paying no more than 30 percent of their income for gross housing costs, including utilities. Local policy often seeks to serve renters up to 60% or 80% of Area Median Income, owners up to 100% or 120% of Area Median Income. A benchmark that divides income distribution in a given area into two equal parts: one-half earns above this amount and one-half below. Affordable housing eligibility is generally based on income as compared to this benchmark. Area median income figures are calculated by household size by HUD on annual basis for all metropolitan regions of the country and rural areas of states. Housing policy will often focus on households at various AMI levels (e.g. 30%, 50%, 60%, 80%, 100%, 120% of AMI).

Community land trusts are nonprofit, community-based organizations designed to ensure community stewardship of the land. Community land trusts can be used for many types of development (including commercial and retail) but are primarily used to ensure long-term housing affordability.

Housing provided by a public housing agency chartered in a local community specifically to provide housing for people with low incomes, subsidized by public funds. It comes in a variety of forms owned, sponsored, or administered by a government. Typically, these agencies operate at the city or county level. Most of their operating funding comes from the Public Housing division of HUD.