Habitat for Humanity awards 'Golden Hammer' to Southwest Atlanta community build

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Construction is already underway in November 2025 to build the foundation of the homes at Langston Park, a Habitat for Humanity project set for completion in 2026.

Credit: Amanda Andrews / GPB News

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity received the "Golden Hammer" to host the 40th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in 2026. Since 1984, the annual gathering of volunteers has built more than 4,500 homes in 14 countries. 

Thousands of volunteers are expected to participate in the Carter work project starting May 3. They will help build 24 homes in five days for the Langston Park development in Southwest Atlanta’s historic Sylvan Hills neighborhood.

The 8-acre project will be the second master-planned community Atlanta Habitat for Humanity has developed. 

"We are substantially expediting the speed at which we can stand up this community,” CEO Rosalyn Merrick said. “So we will get that done. Meaning we’ll fully develop Langston Park in probably three years versus the seven that it took us at Browns Mill Village," another community in Southeast Atlanta completed this year.

Merrick said volunteer labor will save the nonprofit about $40,000 worth of labor costs. 

Atlanta hasn’t been selected for the Carter project since 1988 when volunteers joined Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter to build 21 homes in Edgewood. 

Natosha Reid Rice, who works with Habitat for Humanity International, said they’re not just building homes, they’re building opportunities.

“Especially as economic disparities persist in our city and across the country, Atlanta Habitat remains grounded in the belief that thriving communities are built on a foundation of empowering people to build generational wealth through homeownership, legacy building,” she said.

Applications to own a home in the upcoming Langston Park development will be available online. Two future owners joined Atlanta Habitat for Humanity leaders at the site to share their experiences.

Daniel Dunbar and Lauren Clarke are in the process of completing 250 volunteer hours and 17 financial education and home maintenance courses required to become owners. 

Clarke said she’s grateful for this opportunity.

“I'm very thankful and grateful to have the opportunity to own a home in Atlanta," she said. "But not even just own the home, but to grow the skill set of actually constructing a home. So that's what makes this opportunity so unique. It's just constant development in different aspects of your life.”

Once complete, the project will be a total of 64 units with a mix of houses, duplexes, and townhomes.