On July 22, Atlanta’s Housing Authority announced Chief Housing and Real Estate Officer Alan Ferguson’s departure after a little over a year in the role. Longtime real estate executive Maya Hodari will take over as interim chief starting Aug. 1.
As Chief Housing and Real Estate Officer, Atlanta Housing said Ferguson assisted in a “pivotal period of agency growth.” He gave oversight on the development pipeline and the Housing Choice Voucher program.
Ferguson helped oversee major projects like the long-awaited Bowen Homes development, Herndon Square, Englewood, Sylvan Hills and Heritage Village. According to Atlanta Housing, he pushed the authority closer to its annual development targets and pioneered scalable housing models funded without Low-income Housing Tax Credits.
“It has been a privilege to serve Atlanta Housing and support the agency’s mission to create strong communities and expand access to affordable housing,” Ferguson said. “I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished together, and I am confident AH will continue delivering results for the people of Atlanta.”
The real estate leader was part of Atlanta Housing’s reinvigorated push to meet its goal of 10,000 more affordable housing units over the next six years. After years of relative inactivity, the authority entered a “transformative era” in 2024, according to President and CEO Terri Lee.
Today, the housing authority provides resources for nearly 27,000 low-income households and 43,000 people through its privately owned residential communities, vouchers, supportive housing programs and down payment assistance.
“Doctor Ferguson has been a critical part of Atlanta Housing’s progress this past year,” Lee said. “His deep expertise and leadership helped us stay focused on the fundamentals — executing details and creating housing opportunities.”
With a team including Lee and Ferguson, the authority reached 40 percent of its 10,000-unit goal last year. Agency leaders have since looked to alternate funding sources and “creative” approaches to build out more units and increase their impact.
Once Ferguson departs at the start of August, Maya Hodari will take over in the interim position. The real estate executive has more than 25 years of housing experience. She came to Atlanta in 2022 after working with the Chicago Housing Authority and serving as a Department of Housing and Urban Development fellow.
