Resilient DeKalb Launches a New Chapter for Environmental Justice in DeKalb County!

Resilient DeKalb" text with sunflower and wildflowers emphasizing local sustainability and environmental resilience.
Resilient DeKalb" text with sunflower and wildflowers emphasizing local sustainability and environmental resilience.

On Saturday, March 14, DeKalb County residents joined the Super District 6 team at the Gresham Park Recreation Center for the introduction of Resilient DeKalb, a renewed effort by Commissioner Ted Terry to strengthen environmental justice and civic engagement across DeKalb County. Resilient DeKalb builds on the foundation of the DeKalb Green New Deal while reshaping the focus to emphasize community resilience, transparency, and stronger collaboration between residents and county leadership.

Why Resilient DeKalb?

Candidly, some of DeKalb’s greatest issues stem from environmental injustices, including failing water and sewer infrastructure, repeated sewage overflows into creeks and neighborhoods, rising utility costs, and the loss of safe green space, problems that disproportionately affect lower-income and historically marginalized communities. 

Environmental justice means every resident, regardless of race, income, or background, deserves affordable energy, clean water, safe neighborhoods, and a voice in environmental decisions. It acknowledges that some communities have faced greater pollution burdens, higher utility bills, and fewer resources for decades, resulting in inequitable health outcomes. Building a Resilient DeKalb means creating healthier, resilient neighborhoods for all residents

Road with colorful wildflowers, surrounded by trees, with text promoting resilient neighborhoods in DeKalb.

What is Resilient DeKalb?

Resilient DeKalb is a people-powered initiative that aims to correct these imbalances to reduce environmental injustices by 

  1. advancing sustainable land-use practices including protecting green spaces, improving zoning and development practices, and promoting land use that supports healthy neighborhoods and long term environmental resilience.
  2. advocating for clean, affordable, and reliable utilities and services to reduce energy burdens caused by environmental injustices
  3. building community power for environmental justice by expanding access to county programs and resources that make it easier for residents to participate in critical decision making processes
Resilient DeKalb initiative highlights sustainable land use, clean energy, and community building for environmental justice.

How Can We Work Together to Achieve a More Resilient DeKalb?

The County Commissioner’s office plays a central role in addressing environmental justice challenges by setting local policies, allocating resources, and advocating for programs that protect residents’ health and the environment. By engaging with the office through attending town halls, submitting public comments, or joining community coalitions, residents can help guide decisions that reduce pollution, improve water and energy systems, and keep neighborhoods safe and resilient. To find out who represents you, visit the county’s website and enter your address in the Find My Commissioner tool. Your commissioner is your direct line to local policy that affects your home, your health, and your community.

Highlights From Our First Resilient DeKalb Meeting

Led by Commissioner Ted Terry, participants learned about how local government decisions affect environmental outcomes and why county policy plays such a critical role in shaping community resilience. To make the discussion interactive, attendees played a trivia game and created a world cloud describing what “Resilient DeKalb” meant to them. The responses highlighted themes like community, sustainability, equity, and long-term planning.

Participants raised several local concerns and ideas during the discussion portion of the event, including:

  • The need for clearer communication about BOC agendas and decisions, along with more accessible information to help residents stay informed and participate in county government. 
  • Requests for information about composting programs, environmental plans, and local sustainability resources
Community meeting in a gymnasium with a presentation on environmental justice, attendees seated in a circle.
Word cloud featuring "strong" and "sustainability" about "Resilient Dekalb".

What Happens Next?

We hope to address the concerns of residents collaboratively and with transparency. This begins with forming a Resilient DeKalb Steering Committee to help guide the progression of our initiative, followed by educational workshops and discussions. 

We encourage you to:

  1. Join the Resilient DeKalb Steering Committee
  2. Attend our upcoming events
  3. Fill out the Resilient DeKalb Interest form to stay updated and attend our important upcoming events

April 28 — Earth Day Proclamation at the Board of Commissioners Meeting

Celebrate Earth Day at the Board of Commissioners meeting on April 28! This year, we’re presenting a proclamation to the people of DeKalb for their tireless commitment to the Earth and environmental advocacy. We hope you can attend to be recognized and show DeKalb County residents want climate action now.

Click here to RSVP!

This is part of the Board of Commissioners regularly scheduled meetings and is open to the public.

May 1 — FREE Environmental Movie Night: The Tree Economy

Commissioner Terry and the Super District 6 Team are excited to present an environmental movie night featuring The Tree Economy directed by James Schroder.

Environmental films can turn complex issues into real stories that spark curiosity, build community, and invite us all to take action. We hope you will join us for this timely and thought-provoking film that explores local climate action and asks us to brainstorm next steps for DeKalb County.

The Tree Economy

The City of Atlanta has the largest urban tree canopy of any major city in North America. The Tree Economy follows the forces of development, economics, and politics threatening to erase the defining characteristic of one of America’s great cities.

Through the voices of tree activists, arborists, urban designers, elected officials, and developers, filmmaker James Schroeder documents a city at a crossroads.

The Resilient DeKalb Launch event marks the beginning of a broader engagement effort for Resilient DeKalb. With continued collaboration between residents and local government, Resilient DeKalb aims to build a stronger and more sustainable future for all communities across the county.

Click here to RSVP

Resources

County Line / Ellenwood Community Meeting Recap

Ellenwood County Line Mtg image

The first County Line / Ellenwood community meeting of 2026 was energizing, forward-looking, and a strong example of partnership in action. The meeting brought together residents, County leadership, educators, environmental experts, and community organizers to align priorities and set the tone for the year ahead.

The conversation centered on youth opportunity, long-term investment, and community vigilance, with clear momentum across multiple fronts.

Highlights and key outcomes

  • Youth engagement and awareness: Commissioner Bolton and Laveeza (Super District 7) emphasized improving outreach so youth are aware of existing programs, jobs, and activities. Commissioner Bolton also shared the District 7 calendar, including upcoming Q1 2026 town halls. Look for more information to come directly from District 7’s office.
  • Cross-district collaboration: Dr. Reggie Johnson publicly recognized and thanked both Commissioner Bolton and Commissioner Ted Terry for their continued support of Ellenwood’s County Line community.
  • Education and workforce access: Roger Young, DeKalb County Landfill Superintendent, reminded attendees that GED programs are available to residents of all ages across DeKalb County.
  • Parks and public space investment: Paige Singer, Director of DeKalb Parks and Recreation, provided updates on the Dr. Alice White Bussey Intergenerational Center and the seven-year effort to connect two parks by acquiring four properties.
  • Environmental awareness: Dr. Michael Paulus briefed the group on Interstate 14, a 1,000-mile congressionally designated corridor from Texas to Georgia, and the potential impacts of data centers and fiber infrastructure. Tommy Travis noted the data center moratorium has been extended through June.
  • Community literacy call to action: A strong discussion emerged around embedding books and reading access into youth programs to protect opportunity, history, and cultural legacy.
  • Community celebration: Margaret Jackson announced planning is underway for the 29th Annual County Line / Ellenwood Community Roundup and Parade on April 25, 2026, with expectations for the largest turnout yet.
  • Food access and support: Nadine (Team Ted Terry Fellow) shared updates on the mobile markets and available food boxes. Donations were also collected to support 2026 community activities.

The meeting closed with a group prayer and a shared sense of optimism. Overall, it was a clear reminder that Ellenwood’s County Line community is entering 2026 informed, engaged, and ready to build together.

MLK Jr. Day of Service Recap: Turning Dr. King’s Vision into Action

Commissioner Ted Terry with volunteers

This weekend’s MLK Jr. Day of Service was a powerful reminder that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision for the United States was never abstract. It is practical, collective, and rooted in action. He called for a nation where justice is lived out through service, where dignity is protected, and where communities take responsibility for one another. This weekend, that vision moves closer to an obtainable reality. 

In Super District 6, 900 volunteers came together to “pull up their sleeves” and make a difference to 27 homes of elderly neighbors residing in the City of Decatur, delivering repairs that will immediately improve comfort, safety, and long-term affordability for those who want to “age in place”. This was not symbolic service. It was direct, measurable, and transformative. 

At one home, a disabled elderly resident living on a fixed Social Security income faced a $600 power bill last month. Volunteer teams stepped in and completed critical weatherization work, including: 

  • Caulking leaky ducts and air returns 
  • Replacing 18 incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LED lighting 
  • Repairing a large hole in the wall that allowed cold air in and warm air out 

As a result, we estimate the resident’s monthly power bill will be cut nearly in half, creating important financial relief for someone living on a fixed income. 

This is the America Dr. King spoke of. One where collective action dismantles everyday inequities, where neighbors use their skills to reduce hardship, and where justice shows up in the form of improved quality of life, reflected through safer homes, lower bills, and greater stability. Each repair completed over the weekend represents more than a fix. It represents progress toward an America that works for everyone. 

The work completed on this weekend will continue to pay dividends long after MLK Day 2026. It reduced energy burden, strengthened housing stability, and demonstrates what is possible when communities act together with purpose. 

Thank you to every volunteer, organizer, and partner who helped turn service into lasting impact. 

In service and gratitude, 

Team Commissioner Ted Terry  

Greystone Park Delivers Big Results Through Community Action

Greystone Comm Meeting

Greystone Park Neighborhood Meeting Recap | Jan 14, 2026 | NH Scott Rec Center 

The community of Greystone Park is showing what’s possible when neighbors act together. At just its second neighborhood meeting, nearly 75 residents turned out to hear updates from Commissioner Terry, the DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD), and neighborhood leaders.

The progress since October has been striking. After experiencing 46 break-ins in six weeks, the community organized, received crime-prevention guidance from DKPD, and strengthened neighbor-to-neighbor communication. The result: only one car break-in reported from late October through January 1, 2026.

Ahead of the meeting, Team Terry knocked 200 doors to spread the word and connect with neighbors. Residents shared that they’re feeling safer and encouraged by the neighborhood’s collective response. That connection was on full display last night when neighbors Karen and Thelma, who met after knocking door-to-door, announced that they are planning a spring yard sale for the Greystone community.

Residents voted to meet quarterly, with the next meeting scheduled for April 2026.

Stay Engaged

• South River or Gresham Park Rec Center Clean Up: Jan 19, Register here. This event is led by our new Parks Naturalist Tasha Messer. 

• DKPD Town Hall: January 26, 6–8 PM, South Precinct (2067 Columbia Dr.)

• DeKalb Zoning Virtual Open House: January 27, 6–7:30 PM

Greystone Park’s momentum is clear. Organized neighbors, informed action, and consistent engagement are making the community safer and stronger—together.

Commissioner Terry Advocates for an Extension of the Data Center Moratorium for 12 Months- Calls for Independent Environmental and Public Health Study

Data Center image

The motion fails by a 3-4 vote. The final vote on the item extended the moratorium for six months, to June 23, 2026.

*media interviews available*

DEKALB COUNTY – On December 16, 2025, Agenda Item 2025-1694: “Application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability to extend a moratorium on the permitting or other authorization of any new data centers, or the expansion of any existing data centers, in Unincorporated DeKalb County” was discussed to extend the data center moratorium to March 26, 2026.

Commissioner Ted Terry advocated instead the moratorium be extended for 12 months, to the last meeting in December 2026, to allow for additional time for DeKalb County to conduct an independent Environmental and Public Health Study.

“Residents are worried about noise near homes, parks, and trails. They are worried about air quality and the health impacts of diesel generators and increased fossil-fuel generation. They are worried about water use, stormwater runoff, and potential impacts on local streams and drinking water systems. They are worried about grid reliability and whether massive energy users will strain neighborhood power systems. And they are worried about equity — about whether communities that have historically hosted landfills and heavy industrial uses are once again being asked to absorb the impacts of yet another speculative development with adverse outcomes.” Said Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry.

In a statement by Commissioner Terry, he indicated the study should examine but not be limited to noise, air quality, diesel emissions, water use, stormwater impacts, heat, grid strain, and climate implications. He also indicated it should evaluate how these impacts intersect with existing environmental burdens and health disparities across the county.

This motion failed by a 3-4 vote. The final vote on the item extended the moratorium for six months, to June 23, 2026, but did not include mention of the independent Environmental and Public Health Study.

Additionally, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted on Agenda Item 2025-0972 “Application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability to amend Chapter 27 to Establish a Definition, Regulatory Guidelines, and Development Standards for Data Centers in M (Industrial), M-2 (Heavy Industrial), O-I (Office-Institutional), and O-D (Office-Distribution) zoning districts. This text amendment is County-wide.” To better align with the moratorium and allow the regulations to include details from a possible independent Environmental and Public Health Study, Commissioner Terry advocated to defer to June. The final vote deferred the item to January 27, 2026.

A data center moratorium was originally introduced as Agenda Item 2025-0996 by Commissioner Ted Terry and approved on July 8, 2025. Agenda Item 2025-1694, voted on today, is the fourth data center moratorium introduced this year.

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ABOUT DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry:

In 2020, Commissioner Ted Terry was elected to serve as the Super District 6 Commissioner of DeKalb County. His district includes half of the County with portions of South, Central, and North DeKalb, totaling approximately 350,000 residents. He successfully was reelected and began his second term in January 2025.

Commissioner Terry’s policy priorities include the DeKalb Green New Deal and former President Biden’s Justice 40 initiatives, affordable housing, transit equity, protecting voting rights for DeKalb residents, and criminal justice reform. Commissioner Terry serves as the Chair of Finance and Budget (FAB) and is a member of the Planning, Economic Development and Community Service (PECS) committee. He previously served as the Chair of the Employee Relations and Public Safety committee (ERPS) and Chair of the Operations Committee (OPS) and as a member of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWI).

The Commissioner also serves as a member of the National Association of Counties (NACo) as a member of the Healthy Counties Advisory Board, International Economic Development Task Force, Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) Member, Resilient Counties Advisory Board Member, and Environment, Energy, and Land Use (EELU) Policy Steering Committee. Locally serves on theGeorgia Council for International Visitors Board of Trustees.

Prior to his election, Commissioner Terry served as the Mayor of the most ethnically diverse square mile in America: Clarkston, Georgia from January 2014 – March 2020, where he was the youngest Mayor in Clarkston’s 135-year history.

He resides in DeKalb County with his wife Andrea and 4-legged fur-babies.

To learn more about Commissioner Terry, his platforms and how to stay up to date on the latest from his office, visit www.commissionertedterry.com.

Follow the Commissioner on social media:Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners Asks Public Service Commission to Defer December 19th Vote on Georgia Power All- Source RFP

GA Power truck

Concerned additional electricity needs to power data centers across Georgia will be reliant on fossil fuels, despite municipalities’ 100% clean energy goals. 

*media interviews available*

DEKALB COUNTY – On November 18, 2025, The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution urging the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to delay its vote on Dockets 56298 and 56310, Georgia Power Company’s Application for the Certification of the 2029-2031 All-Source Capacity RFP and for the Certification of Supplemental Resources for 2028-2031 Capacity, respectively. The resolution, which comes on the heels of the Public Hearing concerning the aforementioned dockets, was introduced by Super District 6 Commissioner, Ted Terry, and unanimously approved by the Board of Commissioners. 

In addition to affirming DeKalb County’s commitment to its adopted clean-energy, sustainability, and resilience goals, the resolution recognizes the need for collaboration from the Public Service Commission in realizing those goals. In passing the resolution, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners implores the PSC to ensure that all energy resource decisions are fully evaluated for potential long-term impacts on local governments. These impacts include grid reliability, customer costs, public health and environmental quality. 

“It has been stated by Georgia Power Company that 60% of the energy sourced in this RFP would come from fossil fuels – either coal or natural gas-fired power, for the purpose of meeting Data Center power demands,” said Commissioner Terry. “That means that any Data Center applying to be built in DeKalb County in the next 2-3 years would be powered by those 10,000 megawatts of fossil fuel energy. This is harmful for our environment, our health, and the power bills of DeKalb residents. This is important because this decision will impact future decisions that we make here, at the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners. It deserves careful and informed deliberation.”

The DeKalb County resolution also emphasizes the fact that two new Commissioners have been elected to the PSC; and that the vote takes place just before they are seated, which precludes their participation in the deliberation. 

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in April 2025 adopting a Clean Energy Transition Plan, with the goal of 100% Clean Energy by 2050.

DeKalb County has intervened before in 2023 and 2025 alongside the city of Decatur, Atlanta, Savannah, and Athens Clarke-County to form the Local Government Coalition. This intervening took place during the Georgia Power Integrated Resource Plan process advocating, again, for polices that support the municipalities’ clean energy goals on behalf of residents.

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ABOUT DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry:

In 2020, Commissioner Ted Terry was elected to serve as the Super District 6 Commissioner of DeKalb County. His district includes half of the County with portions of South, Central, and North DeKalb, totaling approximately 350,000 residents. He successfully was reelected and began his second term in January 2025.

Commissioner Terry’s policy priorities include the DeKalb Green New Deal and former President Biden’s Justice 40 initiatives, affordable housing, transit equity, protecting voting rights for DeKalb residents, and criminal justice reform. Commissioner Terry serves as the Chair of Finance and Budget (FAB) and is a member of the Planning, Economic Development and Community Service (PECS) committee. He previously served as the Chair of the Employee Relations and Public Safety committee (ERPS) and Chair of the Operations Committee (OPS) and as a member of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWI).

The Commissioner also serves as a member of the National Association of Counties (NACo) as a member of the Healthy Counties Advisory Board, International Economic Development Task Force, Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) Member, Resilient Counties Advisory Board Member, and Environment, Energy, and Land Use (EELU) Policy Steering Committee. Locally serves on theGeorgia Council for International Visitors Board of Trustees.

Prior to his election, Commissioner Terry served as the Mayor of the most ethnically diverse square mile in America: Clarkston, Georgia from January 2014 – March 2020, where he was the youngest Mayor in Clarkston’s 135-year history.

He resides in DeKalb County with his wife Andrea and 4-legged fur-babies.

To learn more about Commissioner Terry, his platforms and how to stay up to date on the latest from his office, visit www.commissionertedterry.com.

Follow the Commissioner on social media:

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

DeKalb County Commissioners Ted Terry and Dr. LaDena Bolton Call for Extension of Community Programs to Cover the “SNAP- Gap”: Launches Mobile Farmer’s Market in DeKalb

Mobile Markets image

*media interviews available*

DEKALB COUNTY – DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry and Commissioner LaDena Bolton are calling on state leadership to cover the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program “SNAP” benefits during the federal shutdown, “Our state has 1.4 million people who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. Here in DeKalb, 14% of our residents use food stamps. That’s over 100,000 people. They’re seniors, grandparents, working moms and children who need that money to buy groceries,” Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry said. “Georgia has a $14.9 billion budget surplus – a HUGE amount of money – where some could be spared to make sure every Georgian has enough food in their belly. And other Republican governors have already committed to this! Virginia and Louisiana’s governors have already agreed to use state funds – Georgia can too!”

“Food insecurity is a public health crisis, and we cannot wait for federal solutions when our neighbors are going hungry. Georgia has the resources—and the moral obligation—to step in
and protect our most vulnerable residents,” said Super District 7 Commissioner Dr. LaDena Bolton.

The Commissioners will be joined at the 4pm October 30th press conference by DeKalb residents who receive SNAP benefits and by laid off federal workers, who say the field has been leveled for Georgians with high food prices, layoffs and furloughs, the federal shutdown now, the end of SNAP benefits – making it hard for everyone to make ends meet.

DeKalb County will also unveil a new project called “Mobile Market Mondays” where fresh farmer’s market produce will be available across DeKalb County, including 3 sites in South DeKalb that have been previously identified as food deserts. Through a new partnership with “Retaaza” a mobile farmer’s market will run on Mondays starting Nov. 3. The mobile market van will be on site at the press conference fully stocked with fresh fruit and veggies for DeKalb residents to purchase at a greatly affordable price.

Check out Atlanta First News’ Coverage of the event here.


PRESS CONFERENCE
4pm Thursday, October 30, 2025
Belvedere Shopping Plaza
3479 Memorial Dr, Decatur, GA 30032

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ABOUT DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry:


In 2020, Commissioner Ted Terry was elected to serve as the Super District 6 Commissioner of DeKalb County. His district includes half of the County with portions of South, Central, and North DeKalb, totaling approximately 350,000 residents. He successfully was reelected and began his second term in January 2025.

Commissioner Terry’s policy priorities include the DeKalb Green New Deal and former President Biden’s Justice 40 initiatives, affordable housing, transit equity, protecting voting rights for DeKalb residents, and criminal justice reform. Commissioner Terry serves as the Chair of Finance and Budget (FAB) and is a member of the Planning, Economic Development and Community Service (PECS) committee. He previously served as the Chair of the Employee Relations and Public Safety committee (ERPS) and Chair of the Operations Committee (OPS) and as a member of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWI).

The Commissioner also serves as a member of the National Association of Counties (NACo) as a member of the Healthy Counties Advisory Board, International Economic Development Task Force, Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) Member, Resilient Counties Advisory Board Member, and Environment, Energy, and Land Use (EELU) Policy Steering Committee. Locally serves on the Georgia Council for International Visitors Board of Trustees.

Prior to his election, Commissioner Terry served as the mayor of the most ethnically diverse square mile in America: Clarkston, Georgia from January 2014 – March 2020, where he was the youngest Mayor in Clarkston’s 135-year history.

He resides in DeKalb County with his wife Andrea and 4-legged fur-babies. To learn more about Commissioner Terry, his platforms and how to stay up to date on the latest from his
office, visit www.commissionertedterry.com.


Follow the Commissioner on social media:
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn


ABOUT DeKalb County Super District 7 Commissioner Dr. LaDena Bolton


Commissioner Dr. LaDena Bolton — affectionately known throughout the community as Dr. B — is a dynamic leader, accomplished chemist, and lifelong advocate for equity, safety, and opportunity in DeKalb County. Elected to represent Super District 7 in December 2024, she brings a bold, compassionate, and collaborative approach to governance, rooted in her deep ties to the community she was raised in, is raising her family and continues to serve.


Under her leadership, District 7 has been proudly branded as the district of bee pollinators—a symbol of collective purpose, productivity, and care. Just as pollinators sustain ecosystems, Dr. B’s mission is to create an environment where every resident is valued, and every resident is healthy, safe, and thriving. She chairs the Employee Relations & Public Safety Committee, where she champions constituent services, crisis response, and interdepartmental coordination. Her district motto — “Growing Businesses. Empowering Families.”— guides her work to uplift legacy communities, support small businesses, and ensure equitable access to resources.


Dr. Bolton holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Clark Atlanta University and a B.S. from Savannah State University. Her global career as an analytical forensic chemist has supported national security, energy sustainability, and health equity across the county, state and world.

Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. B is a dedicated civic leader: She was elected Vice President of the DeKalb Young Democrats Benefit Corporation in 2021, Chair of the DeKalb Dems’ House District 85 in 2023, and served as a DeKalb County Poll Manager since 2020, recruiting over 50 fair election champions.


In 2017, together with her husband, Dr. Clement J. Bolton II, she co-founded Bolton Legacy, a scholarship and advocacy initiative supporting students pursuing college or technical careers with a focus on restoring underserved communities.


Commissioner Dr. LaDena Bolton leads with empathy, excellence, and a deep respect for the voices of DeKalb County. Her vision is clear: to build legacies from the inside out—where every family, every business, and every resident can flourish.

DeKalb Behavioral Health Coalition to Host Pathways Forward: A DeKalb County Community Town Hall on Homelessness 

Honoring World Homeless Day and providing the public an opportunity to provide their input on the DeKalb County Unhoused Support and Services Plan.

DEKALB COUNTY – On October 11, 2025, the DeKalb County Behavioral Health Coalition will host Pathways Forward: A DeKalb County Community Town Hall on Homelessness at 178 Sams St, Decatur, GA 30030 offering the public an opportunity to share their voice during the development of the DeKalb County Unhoused Support and Services Plan, a plan being developed through a collaborative effort among DeKalb County nonprofit organizations, county agencies, and community members.

Funding for the DeKalb County Unhoused Support and Services Plan was approved in 2024 by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners.This nine-month initiative will conclude in January 2026 with the presentation of a comprehensive plan to the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners. The plan will include recommendations for strengthening the County’s support systems and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Pathways Forward: A DeKalb County Community Town Hall on Homelessness will feature a presentation highlighting the key recommendation areas currently in development. Resident input and feedback are encouraged.

“I was proud the Board of Commissioners took a meaningful step forward by approving funding to support this vital plan,” said DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry, who will be present on the program’s panel. “The experience of being unhoused varies greatly. It includes working community members, families living in extended-stay motels, and seniors who cannot afford housing throughout an entire month. This plan will provide DeKalb County with the tools to better understand where we stand today and how we can pursue solutions that reflect the diverse realities of our residents. By centering the voices and needs of our community, we can build a future where every DeKalb resident has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.”

The program will also include a presentation by DeKalb’s Texas Delegation Trip, a delegation of attendees from DeKalb County, Georgia, who traveled to Texas in July, visiting San Antonio and Houston to explore innovative approaches to homelessness, and a panel discussion with DeKalb County leaders. The DeKalb Texas Delegation Trip Presentation will outline the best practice findings and key learnings from the trip while the panel discussion will provide residents an opportunity to ask questions on the topic overall.

Those interested in attending can RSVP here: https://forms.office.com/g/GcmsU78Kdi

Pathways Forward: A DeKalb County Community Town Hall on Homelessness
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: 178 Sams Street, Decatur, GA 30030 (Multipurpose Room A1201)

Aging in Place Comprehensive Planning and Zoning Basics

Aging in Place Planning and Zoning Basics flyer

On September 10, 2025, the Aging in Placers hosted an insightful session that breaks down the essentials of Planning and Zoning in DeKalb County and explains how they affect your ability to age in place in our communities. This training sets the foundation before the Aging in Placers embark on actively advocating for aging in place in DeKalb.

Whether you are an Aging in Placer or not, you’re welcome to join us to learn more about Planning and Zoning in DeKalb County! This video has been recorded after the fact for virtual viewing.

Learn more about Commissioner Terry’s Aging in Placers initiative here!

We Must Lead with Justice: On Water Debt, Accountability, and the People We Serve

DeKalb County Water System tank

By Commissioner Ted Terry, Super District 6, DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

Across DeKalb County, thousands of working families wake up every day carrying the weight of economic pressure: rising rents, inflation, stagnant wages, and, yes, unpaid water bills. For many, this burden isn’t the result of negligence or entitlement, but of a broken system that too often fails to see the human being behind the ledger line.

As elected officials, we have a solemn responsibility to govern with compassion, and that means we must stop treating water debt as a personal failure. It’s a systemic one, and it demands a nuanced response.

Right now, DeKalb County has a total of $104 million in unpaid water bills, and more than 90,000 delinquent residential water accounts. That’s nearly half of our entire customer base. At face value, those figures are staggering, but they should also give us pause. Are we to believe that tens of thousands of our neighbors are irresponsible? That they simply refuse to pay? Or do these numbers tell us something deeper and more troubling about the decades of broken billing systems, meter reading errors, and a lack of customer advocacy?

Like so many systemic challenges, DeKalb’s water crisis didn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of years of neglect. And the nuance in these conversations matters. More than $40 million of the county’s $104 million in unpaid water bills is tied to apartment complexes and condominium communities, many of which operate on outdated master meters and have long suffered from governance issues, low fees, and chronic infrastructure neglect. Places like Whitehall Forest and Brannon Hill—each owing over $3 million in water debt—have become tragic case studies in system failure. These communities have suffered from years of mismanagement, non-existent homeowners associations, and little to no accountability.

The results are devastating. With no viable mechanism to collect, the debt continues to mount while residents are left to live in deteriorating conditions, surrounded by violence, blight, and fear. I’ve walked these communities. I’ve sat with families in living rooms scarred by bullet holes and listened to their stories. These are not bad actors—they are seniors on fixed incomes, working parents, and refugees who came here seeking safety and stability. They are survivors of a failed system, not its cause, and we must stop punishing them.

Some argue, “We can’t let people get free water.” However, the truth is that no one is getting free water. Nearly all delinquent accounts have made some payment—often under confusion, stress, or dispute. What we’re grappling with isn’t about avoiding responsibility; it’s about restoring trust. Years of inaccurate meter readings, faulty billing systems, and a lack of customer advocacy have created doubt—doubt about the accuracy of bills, about fairness in collections, and about whether the system is working for anyone at all. This isn’t about absolving debt blindly. It’s about due process. People deserve to know what they owe, why they owe it, and what assistance is available. Until we restore that basic transparency, we cannot expect faith in the system—or compliance with it. Our goal is to develop a system that safeguards the vulnerable while implementing effective, long-term solutions.

Utilities are essential services. They cannot function without payment. CEO Cochran-Johnson is right to say that we must restore sound billing and collections practices. We need rules. We need structure, yes. But we also need equity, and that means we must acknowledge that the rules were never fair to begin with.

This is also why we created the 10×10 program—a 10-year infrastructure investment plan paired with real consumer protections approved by the Board of Commissioners—to move forward, not back. To reset. To reconcile. To right the ship.

But that alone is not enough.

We must also provide a structured pathway to recovery for those who are willing to pay but have simply fallen too far behind to catch up. That is why I am calling for a Water Bill Amnesty Program for income-qualified households—modeled on the successful programs in Chicago and New York City.

Under Chicago’s Utility Billing Relief Program, low-income households received a 50% discount on their water and sewer rates and were eligible for full debt forgiveness after one year of on-time payments. In New York City, a tiered amnesty initiative allowed customers to settle their balances by paying a portion of the principal, with significant amounts of interest forgiven. These approaches didn’t just show compassion—they showed results. New York City collected over $80 million in unpaid water bills through this model, and over 85% of customers stayed current on their accounts afterward.

This is the kind of smart, equitable governance DeKalb needs now. An amnesty program would help our most vulnerable households—seniors, working families, and people with disabilities—avoid shutoffs while generating real revenue recovery for the County. It’s not a blank check. It’s a lifeline tied to accountability and performance.

At the same time, we must acknowledge that certain properties—like Brannon Hill and Whitehall Forest—present a different kind of challenge. These are not simply delinquent accounts. These are communities that have spiraled into physical, legal, and economic collapse. Without legitimate homeowners associations or governance structures, there is no meaningful way to collect water debt. These complexes are not just in debt—they are in crisis. And in these rare cases, we must be prepared to consider debt cancellation not as a reward, but as a necessary tool to stabilize and eventually rebuild.

We don’t need a moral crusade. We need a moral compass. And that compass must point us toward justice for the disaffected, the abused, the forgotten—those who did not create this crisis but are now asked to carry its cost.

We have a chance to turn the page. Let’s do so with humility, clarity, and compassion. The people of DeKalb deserve nothing less.