Decatur, GA — DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson is hosting a town hall on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. via Zoom. The town hall will address the state of housing in the county and current state and local initiatives to provide permanent housing solutions.

“My office receives many inquiries from residents who are seeking affordable housing options,”  Cochran-Johnson said. “By the time they reach out to me, they are often in need of immediate assistance and have reached a state of crisis. I believe it is important that everyone knows where to find programs offering housing solutions that fit their specific set of circumstances.”

The DeKalb County Housing Crisis Town Hall will shed light on DeKalb County Housing Authority’s selection process, highlight current interest and mortgage rates, and provide more information on housing assistance programs and home loan opportunities, according to a press release.

Experts will share information with homeowners and renters about DeKalb County’s Tenant-Landlord Assistance Coalition program, as well as where Georgia stands from a state level perspective on housing issues and legislation.

The panel will include:

– Dan Baskerville, senior policy director at Dentons US LLP and lobbyist for DeKalb County

– Mary Bell, clerk of DeKalb State and Magistrate Courts

– Tony Kimbrough, CEO at Veterans Empowerment Organization

– Fariz Morani, CEO at Access Loans and Financing

– Kimberly Pickett, financial wellbeing coach at Operation HOPE Inc.

– Pete Walker Jr., president and CEO at Housing Authority of DeKalb County

“A lot of people are struggling because they are not aware of the resources available to them,” Cochran-Johnson said. “It is my hope that this town hall will equip them with the tools they need to thrive and succeed.”

Interested individuals should register at https://bit.ly/3JOwsRv.

Residents are encouraged to submit questions to be answered during the town hall by emailing [email protected].