By T. Scott Boatright
Terri Lee thought she was returning to her native Grambling to celebrate the 80th birthday of her mother, Ida Ary, at a party at the Community Room of Grambling City Hall Saturday afternoon.
But instead, this birthday surprise was for Lee herself.
The Atlanta Housing Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed Lee as the agency’s new president and CEO on Jan. 24, tasking her with managing overall operations and establishing strategic direction in alignment with Atlanta Housing’s mission to open doors to safe, quality affordable housing and create opportunities for economic mobility for Atlanta residents.
Lee previously served as chief operating officer for AH since 2020, where she oversaw a $452M budget and guided daily operations. Prior to her service with Atlanta Housing, Lee served as the city of Atlanta’s first chief housing officer after serving as deputy commissioner of the Department of City Planning for 10 years.
And on Saturday, after making a speech to honor her mother, Lee called Grambling Mayor Alvin Bradley to the podium to join in honoring her mother.
But Bradley had different honoring in mind, as he took the microphone.
“Today out of all days, I finally met Terri face to face,” Bradley said as he began speaking. “And we have engaged in conversation and we are going to do something big for the city of Grambling. She’s going to lend to me her expertise and her guidance as to how the city is to be planned. She’s going to share her experience of working in Atlanta with me, to help all of us.
“When I heard of her great accomplishments in Atlanta, I told myself that we cannot let our homegirl go unnoticed.”
At that point Bradley called Lee back to the podium and read a proclamation from himself and Grambling’s City Council honoring Lee.
“I wanted to do this at a City Council, but this seems to be a pretty good time to do this,” Bradley said before reading the proclamation of congratulations.
Lee admitted to the crowd that she was stunned.
“This was the ultimate set-up,” Lee said. “It’s overwhelming. I give all the glory and honor to God. I’m just thankful to be able to share the day with my mom, thankful for life and thankful who God continues to be and let us be.
“To be able to help the city of Grambling, the place I grew up and the city that raised me, is a blessing.”
Bradley said honoring Lee at her mother’s birthday party was all about timing.
“I had been wanting to do this at a Grambling City Council meeting,” Bradley said. “But this was just the perfect opportunity. She was coming in for her mom’s birthday and it just seemed like the right time.”
Bradley said he had already sought some advice from Lee and will do so again.
“She has so much knowledge,” Bradley said. “With a new housing development coming to Grambling, she can help us with how to handle that. How things should look and be handled.
“Terri is invested here. She grew up here. And there are other Grambling natives who have gone off and done great things. And we want their knowledge. I’m just glad we had this opportunity. This is a great day for Ida Ary, Terri Lee and their family, and it’s a great day for Grambling, too.”
