DeKalb County's first Chief Housing Officer, Dr. Alan Ferguson, joins Commissioner Chakira Johnson to talk about housing challenges and solutions in DeKalb County. They discuss rising rents, homelessness, and housing diversity. The conversation also details where residents should turn if they are worried about paying rent or staying housed. Learn how to plug into the zoning rewrite, the countywide housing strategy, and other opportunities to help shape DeKalb's housing future.

Chapters

00:00 Intro and Commissioner Johnson's roles

01:33 Introducing Chief Housing Officer Dr. Alan Ferguson

02:26 Growing up in South DeKalb and choosing public service

05:22 Why DeKalb created a Chief Housing Officer role

07:24 What the Chief Housing Officer does and does not handle

12:18 Common misconceptions about county government and housing

18:06 If you miss a paycheck, where to call and how to get help

23:00 Development without displacement and neighborhood stability

27:10 Preserving neighborhood character and the zoning rewrite

33:05 Early wins: housing strategy, Affordable Housing Fund, Park 500, NACA

39:06 Key takeaways on housing priorities in DeKalb

41:25 Commissioner Johnson's new role as Presiding Officer44:46 How to contact Commissioner Johnson and stay connected

Links

DeKalb Housing and Chief Housing Officer info:https://bit.ly/DeKalbDrFerguson

DeKalb Zoning Rewrite information:https://bit.ly/ZoningDeKalb

United Way of Greater Atlanta (including 211):https://unitedwayatlanta.org/

ARCHI Collaborative:https://www.archicollaborative.org/

DeKalb Resource Guide:https://bit.ly/DeKalbResourceGuide

Commissioner Chakira Johnson Linktree:https://linktr.ee/commissionerchakirajohnson

In this episode of Chakira’s Corner, Commissioner Chakira Johnson looks back on the biggest lessons from 2025 and shares what’s ahead in 2026. Topics covered include housing and homelessness, water infrastructure and the consent decree, Memorial Drive revitalization, youth development, and services for New Americans.

She also previews Resources Day on April 18, 2026 (in tandem with the Community Connection Breakfast), explains how residents can reach her team, and encourages District 4 constituents to consider serving on county advisory boards and commissions.

00:23 – Intro: committees + District 4 focus areas

01:39 – Why Commissioner Johnson ran for office

03:02 – One year in: reflections from 2025

04:43 – Priorities: housing/homelessness + water infrastructure

07:38 – How to contact the Commissioner

10:23 – Resources Day + Community Connection Breakfast (Apr 18, 2026)

14:34 – Community Connection Breakfasts + Jan 31, 2026 preview

19:10 – “Chakira’s Cookout” back-to-school event recap

21:21 – Boards & commissions: what they are + how to serve

29:00 – District projects: Park 500 + Memorial Drive (4380)

30:18 – Memorial Drive next steps: safety, transit, CID/BID

33:00 – Youth development + services for New Americans

35:30 – 10,000-foot view: 2025 to 2026 + closing

RELEVANT DATES

Saturday, January 31, 2026 — Community Connection Breakfast (Q1 2026) — 9:00 AM

Location: East Central DeKalb Senior Center & Community Center

Saturday, April 18, 2026 — Resources Day + Community Connection Breakfast (combined)

Location: DeKalb Conference Center @ Georgia Piedmont Technical College (Clarkston)

Summer 2026: Chakira’s Cookout: back-to-school event

Typically the last weekend in June (exact date TBD)

Open advisory board positions:

• Open Positions: Community Council,

• PDK Airport Advisory,

• Watershed Customer Service & Billing

bit.ly/DeKalbBoardsAndCommissions

Data Center Text Amendment (on Engage DeKalb’s site)

bit.ly/DCGADataCenterTextAmendment

Commissioner Chakira Johnson (District 4)

• Website: https://www.commissionerchakirajohnson.com/

• Contact form: https://www.commissionerchakirajohnson.com/contact

• District 4 (official county page): https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/board-commissioners/district-4

• X (Twitter) referenced: https://x.com/CommissionerCJJ

In this episode of Chakira’s Corner, Commissioner Chakira Johnson talks with DeKalb County’s Director of Planning & Sustainability, Juliana Njoku, about how zoning, permitting, housing, and economic development all work together to shape DeKalb’s future. Juliana shares her path into public service and what makes DeKalb’s mix of communities, land, and cultures so distinct.

They also break down how Planning & Sustainability serves as the “guardrails” for growth—guiding where parks, homes, and businesses go; improving permitting and licensing; and launching tools like the Planning Community Academy 101 and Engage DeKalb so residents and small business owners can stay informed and involved.

Featured Resources:

• Planning & Sustainability: https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/planning-and-sustainability/planning

• Decide DeKalb (Economic Development): https://www.decidedekalb.com

• Engage DeKalb (Public Input Portal): https://engagedekalb.dekalbcountyga.gov

• Email Commissioner Johnson: chakira@dekalbcountyga.gov

• Linktree – Commissioner Chakira Johnson: https://linktr.ee/commissionerchakirajohnson

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome & Episode Overview

01:20 – Juliana’s Path to Planning & Public Service

04:30 – What Makes DeKalb County Unique

06:20 – How Planning & Sustainability Supports the Vision

12:00 – Parks, Businesses & Economic Development

17:50 – Department Goals, Structure & Technology Upgrades

21:10 – Helping Small Businesses Succeed

32:20 – Community Academy 101 & Resident Engagement

38:30 – Permitting, Pre-Application Meetings & Realistic Timelines

51:00 – A Shared Vision for DeKalb’s Next 5–10 Years

55:00 – Closing Thoughts & How to Connect