Rebuilding Atlanta’s Forgotten Neighborhoods One Home at a Time
Founded in Atlanta, Georgia, Billups Homes (Billups) is a full-service builder of top quality, sustainable, and high-performing homes, delivered at affordable prices. Thomas Billups, President and Owner, retraces the company’s roots, shedding light on what led him to establish Billups Homes.
“I founded Billups in 2022, upon emerging from the pandemic. Previously, I spent nearly 15 years working for a large production builder in the US, and I felt it was time to do something different. At Billups, our focus is primarily on the currently underserved areas of Atlanta. In contrast, the builder I used to work for was not particularly interested in serving these regions, which is what made me decide to venture out on my own. Instead of targeting the higher-end, custom market, we are dedicated to providing more attainable workforce housing. As such, we build single-family homes, attached townhomes, and active adult homes for people aged 55 and older. Our emphasis is on these three segments, and particularly on making our homes affordable, with price points typically around $500,000. However, this endeavor is somewhat challenging due to the market dynamics in Atlanta. We mainly operate on the South and East sides of Atlanta, which are underserved markets compared to the North side, where many builders construct higher-end custom homes. While those homes often start at $1 million and can exceed that, our price point caps at around $600,000. In addition to new construction, we also offer remodeling services that sometimes involve extensive renovations, essentially rebuilding homes down to their bones,” he enlightens.
Restoring communities
By prioritizing affordable housing, Billups aims to make a positive impact in the communities it serves. Thomas explains how this niche focus enables the company to stand out from other home builders in the Atlanta market. “One of the biggest ways we stand out is through our service areas and the communities we serve, as few large national or regional builders construct homes in the South and East sides of Atlanta. Beyond that, we distinguish ourselves with our higher-performing homes. In Atlanta, there is a high-performance building certification program called EarthCraft, created by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) and Southface. This program was designed for builders who want to exceed code requirements. As one of these builders, our homes are typically EarthCraft Certified, further enhancing our reputation. Indeed, we focus heavily on energy efficiency and water conservation in our homes.
“Unlike many competitors, we do not only concentrate on the house itself and the built environment, but also on the exterior, including the land and landscaping. Climate change and sustainability are at the forefront of many of our discussions, encouraging us to ensure that our landscapes feature native plants. Among those plants, we incorporate those that benefit the homeowner, rather than decorative greenery that only requires maintenance. While it may not look like a farm, some of our homes include herbs and fruit-bearing shrubs like blueberries, blackberries, and elderberries. This approach transforms the landscape from mere upkeep into a source of value for homeowners,” Thomas elaborates. 
In addition to its traditional homebuilding services, Billups operates a remodeling and whole-house renovation division with a meaningful history. Having mentioned it briefly, Thomas returns to this topic with more details: “The division started out of necessity when I was launching Billups. Although I was already licensed as a contractor, each company must have its own license, so I had to transfer my license, which took almost a year. As a result, I was unable to take on larger projects and build my reputation, pushing me to focus on smaller projects like remodels and renovations. Eventually, I received a referral to a group that builds homes in the city and began working on properties that were in a terrible condition. For context, there is a major drug problem in the US, particularly in the communities I serve, where many areas have become nearly abandoned. Most of the residents left in those neighborhoods were either struggling with addiction or could not afford to move.
“Many of these homes were occupied but deemed condemned because they had been lived in by drug addicts for ten-to-20 years, and anything of value, such as copper pipes and air conditioners, had been stripped away. Through our remodeling and whole-house renovation division, our mission became to rehabilitate these homes and, in turn, restore the entire community, which has been incredibly rewarding. The community I am working in has an incredible history; Martin Luther King Jr.’s family lived in this neighborhood, making it a prestigious area for people of color for a long time. Being able to rebuild and restore this community has truly been an honor,” he expresses.
Building high-quality homes within poor and underserved communities form the core of Billups’ operations and ethos. Similarly, the company is dedicated to creating affordable housing for key workers. Thomas concludes with details on another worthwhile project. “In DeKalb County, Atlanta, there is a land bank of properties that have been foreclosed due to unpaid taxes or neglect, which can lead to safety issues. To prevent injuries, the county reclaims these homes. We recently started working with the DeKalb County Land Bank on three parcels of land where we will build homes. The houses we construct under this program will mostly serve as workforce housing for school teachers, nurses, and firemen, who are pillars in the community but often struggle to afford a home in today’s market,” he ends.