Meet Jim Jacobi, the glass-half-full optimist and self-made successful entrepreneur who has made a name for himself in the residential development and building industry since starting his business in 2005. Jim is the President and Founder of a home building and development company Parkland Communities, and a build-to-rent (BTR) firm, Parkland Residential. With a degree in landscape architecture from Mississippi State University, Jim kickstarted his career working for some of the most respected land planning and civil engineering firms in Atlanta before making the move to homebuilding in 2003 working for a large regional builder.

Seeing an opportunity in 2007 with the Great Recession, Jim and his business partners founded JEH Homes and grew the company into one of Georgia’s top 10 home builders. A true Cinderella story during the Great Recession, the company sold over 1,200 homes in the Atlanta MSA and earned more than $250 million in revenue before being purchased by Taylor Morrison for $70+ million in 2015. In 2017, Jacobi was one of the founders of Alliance Engineering & Planning, LLC. The company started with three employees and rapidly grew into one of the largest privately owned Planning, Civil Engineering, and Surveying companies in Atlanta. AEP was purchased for $20 million in November 2022 by LJA Engineering, Inc.

Jim’s entrepreneurial prowess has led him to start several other entities and is part owner of multiple real estate investment ventures with asset holdings throughout North Atlanta. With a reputation for innovation, his build-to-rent company helps meet the needs of the missing middle in residential real estate by offering a unique product that provides attainable housing. The company focuses on providing rental housing in high-demand areas.

With an innate ability to find new opportunities, navigate governmental entitlements, assess market analytics, and envision future development, Jim has earned the respect and trust of his peers in the industry. And let’s not forget his positive outlook on life – Jim’s cup is always half full!