They’re not mobile homes, but they did arrive on truck beds, already assembled and nearly move-in ready. Cecil Phillips, CEO of Place Properties, says volumetric modular construction is the way of the future and a technique that could produce more affordable housing in Atlanta and beyond. Phillips likes to say, “If the markets could build […]
Category: Atlanta Civic Circle
Much-needed affordable rentals bound for fast-evolving Reynoldstown
More than 100 units of affordable housing are in the works in Reynoldstown, an east Atlanta neighborhood that’s been welcoming little more than luxury development in recent years. On Wednesday, the Atlanta Housing (AH) board of commissioners elected to extend the ground lease for a city-owned property at 890 Memorial Drive, paving the way for […]
Comedian, senior citizens take on Georgia lawmakers over voting rights
A comedian and a pair of nonagenarians are bringing a little levity to Georgia’s battle over voting rights. In two separate videos, the three Georgia women urge Georgia legislators to vote down Senate Bill 202, a new omnibus bill introduced last week to replace an earlier one. The new bill seeks to ban people from giving food and […]
To accommodate population boom, Atlanta must learn to use space smarter
Atlanta has all the tools it needs to be a dense, world-class metropolis, but the city’s leaders aren’t properly utilizing them in a way that could one day accommodate the ongoing population boom and boost housing affordability. As housing experts and city officials will tell you, Atlanta today has plenty of construction-ready land, dilapidated and […]
‘Ragin’ Cajun’ riffs on voting rights and Corporate Georgia
The Ragin’ Cajun is back. We last checked in with national political strategist James Carville in January when he did a post-mortem of the 2020 presidential election and January’s twin senate runoff races which hoisted Georgia into the national political spotlight. In typical Carvillian fashion, the Georgia-born, Louisiana-raised lawyer gave his assessment of Georgia Republicans’ […]
New affordable housing district proves city could beef up inclusionary zoning policies
Developers in some Westside Atlanta neighborhoods will soon have to abide by new rules regarding affordable housing when reimagining property in the fast-evolving area. On Monday, the Atlanta City Council adopted legislation that creates the “Westside Park Affordable Workforce Housing District,” which includes neighborhoods encompassing the soon-to-be-completed Westside Quarry Park — such as Grove Park, […]
Voting rights proponents turn up the heat on corporate Georgia
In a highly-unprecedented move, a coalition of civil rights and grassroots groups ramped up pressure on Georgia’s top corporations to get them to oppose voter suppression bills in the Georgia legislature. The group led by Black Voters Matter called on the leaders of AFLAC, Coca-Cola Co., Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, Southern Co., and […]
Voting rights proponents turn up the heat on corporate Georgia
In a highly-unprecedented move, a coalition of civil rights and grassroots groups ramped up pressure on Georgia’s top corporations to get them to oppose voter suppression bills in the Georgia legislature. The group led by Black Voters Matter called on the leaders of AFLAC, Coca-Cola Co., Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, Southern Co., and […]
Fiscal bonanza hasn’t got Republicans singing ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’
How do you look a $4.7 billion gift horse in the mouth? Last week, as the buzz from crossover day at the legislature dissipated into a deep torpor, Georgia Republicans were contemplating that question, and they weren’t singing “Happy Days Are Here Again.”
Blockbuster voting bill winding its way through U.S. Congress
As Georgia grapples with its controversial election reform, a massive federal voting rights bill has cleared a key hurdle and, If passed, would usher in the most comprehensive changes in the U.S. electoral system in more than a half-century. The nearly 800-page H.R. 1 For the People Act of 2021 passed the U.S. House of […]
Atlanta’s emergency housing assistance program hasn’t taken online applications in nearly three months. What gives?
Nearly three months have passed since the City of Atlanta closed the online application portal for its COVID-19 housing assistance program, and it’s still unclear when exactly people will again be able to apply for potentially vital help. In August, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that, with the support of federal COVID-19 relief money, […]
After withering for years, Forest Cove apartments headed for much-needed rehab
A Section 8 apartment complex on Atlanta’s southside that’s been falling apart for years seems primed for a revamp that officials say will finally make the property safe and livable. For years, residents at the Forest Cove apartments complained of dangerous, even “uninhabitable” living conditions, including rats, roaches, mold and structural failures, among other blight. […]
Georgia recognized for enhanced election security and innovation
By Tammy Joyner Georgia has been recognized by a federal election commission for its use of enhanced security measures and innovations during last year’s presidential election. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission cited the Georgia Secretary of State office’s use of line-monitoring technology to track wait times at polling places during early-voting and to address technical […]
New round starting in battle over Georgia election bills
There are a lot of overlapping bills.
Georgia probe, impeachment trial prove tough week for Trump
By Tammy Joyner Former President Donald Trump faces his second impeachment trial today with yet another investigation hanging over his head. Georgia’s Secretary of State announced Monday it was investigating Trump’s Jan. 6 call pressuring election officials to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election results. Officials launched the investigation after George Washington University law professor […]
Democracy under siege: States introducing raft of voter-suppression bills
America’s main path to Democracy is under siege. More than 100 voter-suppression bills have been introduced in 28 states – including Georgia – in the wake of record voter turnout in the 2020 presidential election, according to the Voting Roundup 2021 study by Brennan Center for Justice. The 106 bills noted in the Brennan study […]
Atlanta media see big windfalls from campaign spending
By Tammy Joyner Atlanta media — notably TV stations — is estimated to have brought in more than $350 million from campaign spending during the presidential election and this year’s senate runoff races, making it one of the most profitable election cycles in recent memory. Definitive numbers on how much candidates and outside groups spent on campaign ads […]
Georgia lawmakers seek congressional term limits
Georgia lawmakers are calling for a national push to set term limits on Congress. Two resolutions – Senate Joint Resolution 28 and House Joint Resolution 39 – were introduced Tuesday calling for a national convention to propose term limits on House and Senate members. SR28 is sponsored by Sen. Bill Cowsert and HR39 is sponsored […]
Controversial election-related bills introduced
By Tammy Joyner State Republican lawmakers have introduced a group of election-related bills that, if passed, could make it more difficult for some to vote in Georgia. The eight senate bills seek to end automatic voter registration and ballot drop boxes, require photo IDs to get an absentee ballot application and an excuse to vote […]
Will Atlanta’s emergency housing assistance program take new applications soon?
The City of Atlanta intends to start accepting new applications for coronavirus-related emergency housing assistance. Some day. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development arm, announced that the online portal that allows people to apply for money to help with rent, mortgage bills or other housing-related expenses would open back up yesterday, Feb. 1. […]
