DeKalb County Advisory Roundtable on Housing in DeKalb with Dr. Alan Ferguson, Chief Housing Officer, DeKalb County & Kristin Allin, Principal Planner, Atlanta Regional Commission

Join the Council for Quality Growth's DeKalb County Advisory Roundtable on September 3, 2026 at 8:30 AM.

Dr. Alan Ferguson
Chief Housing Officer
DeKalb County

Dr. Ferguson serves as the inaugural Chief Housing Officer for DeKalb County, a position established by CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson to advance her administration’s commitment to addressing affordable housing and homelessness. In this role, Dr. Ferguson leads the County’s comprehensive housing strategy-focusing on expanding affordable housing options, reducing homelessness, and fostering equitable community development throughout DeKalb.

A nationally recognized leader in affordable housing and community revitalization, Dr. Ferguson brings more than two decades of experience in real estate, public finance, and neighborhood investment. As the former Chief Housing & Real Estate Officer for Atlanta Housing, he spearheaded efforts that delivered more than 3,200 affordable housing units in FY25 alone, significantly contributing to the agency’s 10,000-unit goal and the City of Atlanta’s 20,000-unit target.

Previously, Dr. Ferguson served as President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta, where he restored the organization’s full production capacity post-COVID, diversified funding sources, and expanded development strategies to better serve families in need. During his eight years with Invest Atlanta, he directed community investment and housing policy initiatives that advanced inclusive economic growth. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at The American Opportunity Foundation and Fannie Mae’s American Communities Fund, where he structured innovative debt and equity investments to support neighborhood revitalization.

Dr. Ferguson is a proud alumnus of Morehouse College, Emory University, and Georgia State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the University of the Cumberlands, solidifying his expertise at the intersection of housing policy, economic mobility, and sustainable development.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in South DeKalb, Dr. Ferguson brings both professional expertise and a personal connection to his new role. He resides in Edgewood with his wife of 30 years, is the proud father of two. 

Kristin Allin
Principal Planner
Atlanta Regional Commission

Kristin Allin is a Senior Planner and Housing Specialist at the Atlanta Regional Commission. Born in the Atlanta area, Kristin has resided in Decatur for over 19 years as a business owner and community leader. In her role at ARC, Kristin has helped to lead the Local Leadership Housing Action Committee, is assisting in re-instating the Regional Housing Task Force, serves on the advisory panel for the Atlanta Regional Housing Forum, and works within the ARC’s LCI and CDAP program to further affordable housing planning. She spearheaded the ARC’s application for the HUD PRO Housing Grant in hopes to fund direct housing support within the ARC’s programming.

Prior to joining the Atlanta Regional Commission, she was a Planner for the City of Decatur with a focus on housing policy. In this role, she was the staff liaison to the Affordable Housing Task Force and implemented several of its recommendations to reduce barriers to affordable housing in Decatur. Her most challenging policy implementation was the missing middle housing policy revisions to the zoning code. Kristin also was the lead in incorporating the Decatur Land Trust as a non-profit organization and serving as the staff liaison to the Decatur Land Trust Board. She created policies and procedures for Decatur’s Tax Allocation District and Housing Trust Fund. Kristin’s career in affordable housing began in 2018 when she returned to school and received a Master of Urban Studies from Georgia State University. With an interest in affordable housing, she attended HouseATL meetings and Policy Work Group Meetings during her time in graduate school and has continued to do so in her professional roles.

Her educational background includes earning an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1997 and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s College of California. From 2007 to 2023, Kristin co-owned and operated several small restaurants in Decatur and Atlanta. The experience of running small businesses has shaped her world view in understanding the challenges of standing up a small-scale business, supporting employees in this industry, and the link between housing, wages, and transportation as vital to the vision of a region that supports the success of all residents.

Kristin served as a Board Member of the Wylde Center from 2010 to 2013, as an Art Leader of Metro Atlanta (ALMA) participant with the Atlanta Regional Commission in 2020, as a Georgia WIN List Member in the Women’s Leadership Group from 2018 to 2019, and currently participates in the ARC’s Culture and Community Design program and serves on the Communications Committee for the Women’s Affordable Housing Network. Her goal as a Senior Planner and Housing Specialist at the ARC is to utilize the connection between ARC and local jurisdictions to further progress in affordable housing policy and programs at the local level and across jurisdictions in the ARC’s 11-county region.