Atlanta City Council to consider $16M RAISE grant for Westside Thrive

District 9 Council member Dustin Hillis introduced 24-O-1620 during the Nov. 18 City Council regular meeting

ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council will consider 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 on the agenda include:

• A resolution approving a $1.1 million donation to the Urban League of Greater Atlanta to provide Youth Development Grants (24-R-4529).
• An ordinance designating a specific area of Downtown Atlanta as a temporary “Public Entertainment District” between the dates of Dec. 26, 2024, through Jan. 24, 2025, 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).
• A resolution supporting a $430,000 donation to the United Way to fund an emergency rental assistance program (24-R-4522).
• 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).

The City Council will present 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.