Council ratifies executive order to invest in affordable housing
The Atlanta City Council adopted legislation during Monday’s remote meeting to ratify the mayor’s executive order directing the investment of $50 million in new bond funding for the production and preservation of affordable housing in Atlanta (Legislative Reference №20-O-1779). The executive order directs the City’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer to take any actions necessary to request the issuance of the Series 2021 Draw-Down Bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50 million and the authorization and pre-validation of additional bonds in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $100 million.
Other items approved Monday include:
• A resolution requesting all relevant City departments modify painted and printed icon signage denoting accessibility for persons with disabilities to depict a more action-oriented representation of the disability community on public property (Legislative Reference №20-R-4698).
• An ordinance to amend the City of Atlanta’s Code of Ordinances to clarify the minimum signage requirements for locations where vehicles may be booted (Legislative Reference №20-O-1766).
• A resolution to create the City of Atlanta Enterprise Resource Planning Steering Committee for the purpose of providing responsibility and oversight in improving performance and delivery of City services (Legislative Reference №20-R-4695).
• A communication from Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appointing Deborah Lonon to serve as commissioner of the Department of Grants and Community Development for the City of Atlanta (Legislative Reference №20-C-0143).
• A communication from Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appointing Jon Keen to serve as chief operating officer for the City of Atlanta (Legislative Reference №20-C-0150).
• An ordinance to establish the salaries for the mayor, Council president and members of the Council for the terms of office beginning January 2022 (Legislative Reference №20-O-1770).
Legislation was introduced to be considered in committee next week, including:
• A resolution requesting the Public Safety and Legal Administration, Community Development and Human Services, and Finance/Executive committees of the Atlanta City Council conduct a feasibility study and compile comprehensive recommendations regarding the establishment of the creation of the Department of Public Safety and Wellness within Atlanta to formally coordinate and direct public safety and wellness efforts.
• A resolution declaring that a work session will be scheduled to be conducted before the Council’s Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee during which the mayor’s administration will provide a detailed presentation regarding a recommended plan and the results of the review of the Re-imagining the Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC) Task Force recommendations, the Department of Corrections personnel deployment plan, and any other specific details necessary to inform the policy, financial, and operational decisions that the Atlanta City Council will be called upon to make in order to facilitate the final actions necessary to accomplish the ultimate closure of ACDC.
• An ordinance to amend the Atlanta Code of Ordinances for the purpose of retaining sworn officers of the Atlanta Police Department who are in good standing.
• An ordinance to temporarily suspend penalties for late renewals of 2021 alcohol licenses issued by the City of Atlanta through Dec. 31, 2021.
• An ordinance to temporarily reduce through Dec. 31, 2021 the tax imposed and levied upon every purchase of distilled spirits by the drink in Atlanta in accordance with the City of Atlanta’s Code of Ordinances and state law to provide some financial relief to the restaurant and bar industries that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• An ordinance directing the City’s chief financial officer to take necessary action to ensure that a minimum of 33 percent of the net revenue collected and remitted to the City of Atlanta as a result of school zone speed camera enforcement — up to a maximum of $2.5 million — be utilized to fund the purchase and maintenance of cameras and license plate readers citywide for the Operation Shield Video Surveillance Program, and a minimum of 33 percent of the net revenue collected and remitted to the City as a result of the school zone speed camera enforcement — up to a maximum of $2.5 million — be utilized to fund the construction or improvement of the City’s Public Safety Training Center.
• A resolution authorizing an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Independent School System (APS) concerning the administration of the School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Enforcement program and the School Zone Speed Camera Enforcement Program for an initial term of six years with additional renewals upon the agreement of the City of Atlanta and APS and to authorize collection and sharing of fines thereunder.
• A resolution requesting the chief operating officer coordinate with the Department of City Planning, Invest Atlanta, Atlanta BeltLine Inc., Atlanta Housing, and the Atlanta-Fulton County Land Bank to create a comprehensive, action-based plan to expedite the development of affordable, workforce and supportive housing on vacant publicly owned land.
• A resolution requesting that the Department of Parks and Recreation collaborate with the Department of Procurement to develop and engage in a procurement process by which more than one proponent could be selected to provide tennis services to the City.
