By Maria Saporta

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and Mayor Andre Dickens announced Tuesday a historic commitment to building and preserving affordable housing.

The catalyst for the announcement is a philanthropic gift of $100 million – $75 million from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation and $25 million from the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation to the Community Foundation because of its plan to address housing issues. In addition to the Woodruff and Whitehead gifts, the Community Foundation is raising another $100 million.

And Mayor Dickens is working with the Atlanta City Council to pass an additional $100 million in affordable housing bonds.

It is unprecedented for the City of Atlanta and the metro area to have $300 million to tackle one of the region’s most pressing problems.

A press conference was held Tuesday morning in front of an affordable housing model development – the preserved 1912 Academy Lofts at Adair Park.

Historic George W. Adair school has been mostly vacant since 1973. (Photo by Maria Saporta.)

“The stars are aligned in Atlanta,” said Russ Hardin, president of the Woodruff and Whitehead foundations, in an exclusive interview. “We want to invest in that alignment. We love nothing better than investing in Atlanta’s leadership, especially when the public-private sectors are aligned.”

Hardin pointed to how the mayor has made affordable housing a priority – pledging to build or preserve 20,000 units by 2030. Hardin also mentioned several other developments, including new leadership at the Atlanta Housing Authority as well as public and private entities working together to tackle the issue.

“We know affordable housing is central to the quality of life of people living in our region,” said Frank Fernandez, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, in an interview. “If we really want to be a region for all, we have to address this fundamental issue. It’s about people being able to afford where they…