Atlanta City Council Approves Legislation to Donate $200,000 for Affordable Housing
ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council approved legislation Monday authorizing a $200,000 donation to Open Doors Solutions, Inc., to place low-income Atlanta residents referred through the City’s Housing Help Center into safe, secure, and affordable housing (23-R-4262).
Other items approved include:
• A resolution to include provisions in the funding agreements for any residential housing development receiving financial incentives from the City of Atlanta to include eviction mediation services and to disclose all fees that a tenant will be responsible for paying more than the base rental rate. There is also a provision requesting funding recipients make housing available for households receiving rent subsidies (23-R-4267).
• A resolution authorizing a $2 million donation to Star-C Corporation to support its administration of an eviction diversion program for low-income residents in Atlanta (23-R-4250).
• A resolution authorizing the chief financial officer to donate $150,000 to the Atlanta Land Trust to support identifying, qualifying, and facilitating 21 home buyers for permanent affordable units (23-R-4266).
• An ordinance to rename Anderson Park to Coach Charles Rambo Park (23-O-1537).
• A resolution requesting State and Federal governments to support the installation of a noise barrier wall along I-20 to address the environmental noise pollution created by the interstate’s expansion in Mozley Park, Westview, West End, and Mechanicsville (23-R-4252).
• A resolution urging the Atlanta Police Department and other law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction within the city to expand diversion services, encouraging Fulton County and the Fulton County sheriff to take similar measures in addressing overcrowding and safety concerns at the Fulton County jail (23-R-4264).
• A resolution authorizing the mayor to renew the existing intergovernmental agreement on behalf of the City of Atlanta with Fulton County to fund and support the center for diversion and services for a renewal term of four years to transition away from legal system responses that utilize jails or arrest for concerns related to homelessness, mental health, problematic substance use, and poverty (23-R-4256).
• A resolution authorizing the mayor to execute the renewal of a special procurement agreement with Grady Memorial Hospital corporation to serve as operator for the center for diversion services, effective on January 1, 2024, for a term of two years with a one-year renewal option, in an amount not to exceed $12.1 million to serve as medical and behavioral health screening provider (23-R-4257).
• A resolution condemning all acts of terror by military and political organization Hamas. The legislation recognizes Israel’s right to exist and calls for peace in the wake of civilian death across the Israeli and the Palestinian territories. This was an immediate consideration.
Proclamations and recognitions were presented to honor the 50th Anniversary of the election of Mayor Maynard Jackson, Jennifer Holliday, Brenda Reid, and the Department of Customer Service/ATL311.
Items were introduced for consideration in committee, including:
• A resolution urging the Georgia General Assembly to create and implement the senior citizens’ living expense decree or a senior citizen rent increase exemption for Georgia senior citizens.
• An ordinance to authorize the mayor’s submission of an application for an anti-displacement grant with the Rocket Community Fund to provide property tax assistance for homeowners in Atlanta in an amount not to exceed $250,000.
• A resolution requesting the Department of Watershed Management install storm drain grates perpendicular to the direction of traffic to prevent traffic incidents.
• A resolution to create the Little Five Points City Business Improvement District.
• An ordinance authorizing the mayor to apply for grant funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All Grant Program as a co-applicant with three Georgia local governments and a non-profit, for an amount not to exceed $250 million.
• A resolution authorizing the City of Atlanta to donate $20,000 to the Atlanta Children’s Shelter.
