Atlanta City Council Accepts $16M USDOT Grant for Westside Thrive Infrastructure Work

District 9 Council member Dustin Hillis introduced 24-O-1620

ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council approved an ordinance accepting a $16 million U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant to be used for the Westside Thrive: Safely Linking Underserved Atlanta Communities Through Multimodal Improvements project. Westside Thrive plans to retrofit dangerous roads, build bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and improve transit stops between Westside Park and Georgia Tech, roughly three miles, part of its broader goal to bring widespread, critical infrastructure upgrades to communities that have historically been underserved on Atlanta’s Westside (24-O-1620).

Other items that the Council adopted include:

• A resolution supporting a $430,000 donation to the United Way to fund an emergency rental assistance program (24-R-4522). This item was sent to the Mayor’s Office post-haste.
• An ordinance retroactively reinstating an agreement for POST-certified officers to continue providing security at various parks and recreation sites (24-O-1600). This item was sent to the Mayor’s Office post-haste.
• An ordinance designating an area of downtown Atlanta as a temporary “Public Entertainment District” in connection with the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl and the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship, both being played in Mercedes Benz Stadium (24-O-1607).
• An ordinance ratifying acceptance of a donation of pro-bono services performed by Boston Consulting Group for nine weeks to conduct a feasibility study of an LBGTQ+ community center (24-O-1674).
• A resolution authorizing a $1 million donation to the non-profit Communities in Schools of Atlanta, an award-winning dropout prevention program, to provide integrated support for K-12 students in Atlanta. (24-R-4527).
• A resolution donating $500,000 to the non-profit Raising Expectations to support its “No Place Like Home” campaign, to be paid in two $250,000 installments (24-R-4520).
• A resolution establishing the Artificial Intelligence Commission bringing together thought leaders and subject-matter experts to explore the benefits, opportunities, and challenges of using artificial intelligence to enhance and improve local government (24-R-4521).
• A pair of ordinances authorizing the execution of contracts with sponsors, performers, artists, venues, and vendors for the 2025 Senior Ball (24-O-1656) and the 2025 Interfaith Community Luncheon (24-O-1657).
• A resolution enabling the City of Atlanta’s Keep America Beautiful Commission to enter into agreements with Hilton and Keep America Beautiful to receive $30,000 for a beautification project along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive adjacent to Mozely Park (24-R-4519).

Items introduced for consideration include:

• A resolution requesting that no City of Atlanta emergency warming centers be established within 1,000 feet of any public, private, or parochial school. Post-secondary institutions are not included. This item was forwarded for immediate consideration.
• A resolution authorizing an additional $201,000 for lighting and ADA improvements at Windsor Street Park. This item was forwarded for immediate consideration.
• An ordinance establishing an inter-municipal bus fee to be applied to all non-MARTA buses entering and operating in the city from other municipalities. The fee would offset costs associated with the presence and operation of non-MARTA buses by contributing to infrastructure maintenance, public safety, and environmental sustainability.
• An ordinance modifying the operating hours for all licensed establishments authorized to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption in recognition of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game to be played at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
• A resolution allocating funds for a one-year Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot program. UBI is a policy proposal that provides individuals with regular, unconditional cash payments to ensure a basic standard of living. It has yielded positive outcomes such as reduced poverty levels, improved mental health, and improved economic stability.
• An ordinance amending the City Land Development Code regarding short-term rentals to add a licensing requirement for multi-family complexes, revise the license application requirements, create location limitations, clarify requirements for licensees and rental agents, revise the consequences of violating license terms, increase the license application fee, and ensure that short-term rentals are paying applicable state and local taxes.
• A resolution donating $300,000 to the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Association to support the provision of legal advice and assistance at the City’s Housing Help Center.
• An ordinance to add funding awarded from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Program in an amount not to exceed $100,000 to provide services for federal grant management and comprehensive staff training.

The City Council presented proclamations and recognitions to The Hon. Senator Vincent Fort; Charles H. Dillard, AKA Mr. Charlie Brown; Camille Russell Love, retiring executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs; the 50th anniversary of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs; and Meals With Meaning.