DeKalb’s new chief housing officer and community development director outline funding, preservation and production strategies

DeKalb County’s newly installed chief housing officer and the director of community development presented a sweeping overview of tools and programs the county is using to tackle a worsening housing crisis, stressing both production and preservation measures and flagging operational bottlenecks that limit residents’ access to aid.

Alan Ferguson, DeKalb County’s inaugural chief housing officer, told commissioners he views the problem not as isolated affordability shortfalls but as a broader housing crisis driven by rising rents and home prices, constrained new supply and higher construction costs. Ferguson said the county will pursue a three-pronged approach — connection, capacity building and creation — that coordinates departments, leverages outside partners and seeks new financing instruments such as a housing investment bond.

Alan Mitchell, director of community development, outlined the county’s primary capital tools. He described Low-Income Housing Tax Credits as the leading vehicle for large multifamily developments and said DeKalb routinely uses HOME funds as…