Atlanta apartment developer John Williams has passed away. Founder of Post Properties and co-founder of Preferred Apartment Communities Inc., Williams was a veteran developer active in the industry since 1970, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Williams’ position of chairman of the board and chief executive officer will be assumed by Vice-Chairman and Chief Investment Officer Dan DuPree.

In other Atlanta real estate news:

• Atlanta-based builder The Providence Group introduced a new environment-friendly and energy-efficient home development initiative named the E2 Crafted program. This program includes LED lighting, electric hot water heaters, Energy Star-rated appliances and water-efficient bath fixtures to reduce the energy needs of its homes and limit the emission of VOCs from its components and finishes.
• Ashton Woods announced the grand opening of a new model home in its Cadence community in the East Cobb area. The Oxford model home is 6,676 square feet with 6 bedrooms and 6 1/2 baths, and is available for walkthroughs daily.
• Decatur-based firm Office of Design brought in a proposal for a new set of homes in Midtown. According to Curbed Atlanta, the proposal, named Park Modern, would bring 13 four-story homes to a half-acre stretch near the end of 14th Place.
• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties announced that Tonya Jones and MacPhee Realty Group have been recognized as a 2017 Top 10 Agent Award winner (ranked No.2) and a 2017 Top 10 Team in Units (ranked No.8) respectively.
• Atlanta-based developer PulteGroup announced that its Built to Honor program has been chosen to receive a $20,000 grant from Hearthstone.  The Built to Honor program has delivered homes to veterans as they transition out of the military since 2013.
• Wells Fargo & Company announced that the NeighborhoodLIFT program will expand in the Atlanta area with a $6 million commitment to boost homeownership in the counties of Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett, according to BusinessWire.
• Atlanta-based Windsong Properties received the Lee Evans Award for Management Excellence and the 2018 Builder Partnership’s Builder of Choice awards at the Builder Partnerships Executive Summit Award Banquet in Breckenridge, Colorado. Both awards acknowledge the builder’s management principles.