Habitat for Humanity's 40th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project will return to the former president and first lady's home state next week to build affordable houses in southwest Atlanta.

Why it matters: It's the first time since 1988 Habitat for Humanity has hosted the work project in Atlanta, the organization said.

Driving the news: Hundreds of volunteers will build 24 homes over five days in the nonprofit's new community, Langston Park, in the Sylvan Hills neighborhood.

• The build starts Sunday, May 3, and runs through Friday, May 8.

What they're saying: Rosalyn Merrick, president and CEO of Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, told Axios the 40th build coincides with the larger nonprofit's 50th anniversary.

• "We thought [it was] a beautiful way to commemorate this 50-year legacy of impact, but also to celebrate the Carters' legacy here in their home state," she told Axios.

Context: Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, said the upcoming build in Atlanta will help provide support for residents who can't keep up with the demand of rising rents and home prices.

The big picture: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter's involvement in Habitat for Humanity played an outsized role in raising widespread awareness about the nonprofit's mission.

• Their work is so synonymous with the organization that many people think the Carters actually started Habitat, which was founded in 1976, Reckford told Axios.
• The Carters first became volunteers for Habitat in 1984.

James "Chip" Carter, the Carters' second-born son, told Axios he's looking forward to reconnecting with the many volunteers who've hammered alongside him and his parents over the years.

• Working on the builds not only allowed him to become "friends" with his parents, but it's a chance to give back to people in need.
• "It's the best week I spend every year, really," he said.

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1,000

Total number of acres that Atlanta has preserved with the help of a nonprofit that buys and holds green space for local governments to build parks and nature preserves.

Why it matters: Development continues to gobble up Atlanta's forest and tree canopy.

• To paraphrase Tony Soprano: Buy land, because no one is making any more of it.

What they're saying: "Balancing the needs of people and nature in a fast-growing city takes vision, commitment, and the right partners," Stacy Funderburke of the Conservation Fund, the city's nonprofit partner, said in a statement.

• "What Atlanta has accomplished here is a model for urban conservation done right."

By the numbers: The land secured by the city and nonprofit has helped to create or expand more than 60 parks, including the Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve.

Union Pacific resubmitted its application to merge with Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern to the federal Surface Transportation Board on Thursday.

Why it matters: The $85 billion proposed deal requires approval from the regulator, which rejected the initial application as incomplete on Jan. 16.

The latest: The application was revised to include key items the STB said were left out in the railroad's initial submission, including:

• Additional support for the claim that the deal would take 2 million truckloads off U.S. roads, saving $3.5 billion annually.
• The full merger agreement, including conditions under which the railroads could walk away from the deal.

What they're saying: "This merger enhances competition and delivers real public benefits that make America's supply chain stronger," Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena said in the announcement.

What's next: The STB has another 30 days to review the resubmitted application to determine whether it is complete.

• If and when the board deems the application is complete, the 12- to 18-month process of reviewing the deal's public interest can begin

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👋🏽 Crystal here.

I stopped by Fluffy Fluffy Dessert Cafe in Duluth on a Saturday morning and had a pancake like no other.

The texture? Soft like a soufflé. The taste? Sweet.

• Honestly, it might've been a little too indulgent for breakfast — but I still cleaned my plate.

For those in the know: Where else can I find a great pancake around Atlanta? Put me on!

😢 The New Black Wall Street Market, a hub that allowed small business entrepreneurs to sell their products from rented vendor stalls, closed Thursday after less than five years of operating. (AJC)

⚖️ Lester T. Jones Jr., a former finance executive with the Atlanta Hawks, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for embezzling about $3.7 million from the team. (AP)

📖 Amy Carter, daughter of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, gave hip-hop artist Cardi B a signed copy of her father's collection of diary entries from the former president's time in the White House. (People)