Four Years of Progress…

I am proud of all that we have been able to accomplish for District 2 and the city in my first term. Here are some highlights:

Investing in Infrastructure

  • Overseeing a multi-year effort, involving numerous pieces of legislation, to responsibly pay down Atlanta’s repair backlog for its roads and sidewalks — which now totals well over $1 billion.

  • Secured funding to grow the Broad Street Boardwalk, help build the 1.5 mile stretch of complete street infrastructure being installed on Peachtree St. from North Ave. to Marietta Street, and as Chair of the Zoning Committee, am consistently working to help re-think and re-design our city to meet current and future needs.

  • Added Leading Pedestrian Intervals at 40 of our most dangerous crosswalks, which give pedestrians and cyclists a jump on car traffic and have been shown to reduce the number of accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities by 50%.

Towards a Cleaner, Greener Atlanta

  • Passed legislation banning the sale of single-use plastics and polystyrene (Styrofoam) on all city property — most notably, including all vendors at the airport.

Restoring Faith in Government

  • Tightened identification requirements to correct a lax culture surrounding lobbying at City Hall.

  • Secured $1.6 million in funding, and ran the city’s first ever participatory budgeting pilot, so that residents have a direct voice in the spending of their tax dollars.

  • Signed on to a bill creating the city’s first ever Office of Inspector General to identify and prosecute corruption.

Improving Quality of Life and Economic Recovery

  • Launched the Old Fourth Ward Economic Security Task Force, to design and secure funding for the city’s first ever guaranteed income pilot.

  • Amended the noise ordinance so that residents of multi-family homes such as high rises in Midtown, get the same protections as single family residents.

  • Took on booting companies and passed a comprehensive regulatory framework to root out bad actors and protect residents.

  • Added “right-of-way dining” to city code so that restaurants can lease under-utilized sidewalks to expand seating and create more vibrant public spaces.

  • Stood up for condo owners by voting against an arbitrary and unfair solid waste fee increase.

  • Throughout 2020, passed a series of bills waiving or delaying permit fees and changing zoning practices to ease the burden on small businesses through the pandemic.

Making Atlanta Safer

  • Expanded the Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative with a $1.5 million budget increase so that ever police zone in Atlanta offers this service that keeps non-violent offenders out of jail while easing the burden on APD through the use of social workers.

  • Joined my colleagues in approving a 30% pay raise for our police officers and fire fighters as well as supporting a bill to end cash bail requirements for non-violent offenders

Advancing Equity & Equality

  • Created the Reproductive Justice Commission, to advise Council on policy opportunities related to reproductive health.

  • Wrote resolutions opposing the state’s draconian abortion “heartbeat bill”, supporting the ratification of a Georgia Equal Rights Amendment

  • Changed the accessibility icon in all city buildings to make this a more welcoming city for the disabled.

Focusing on Housing Affordability

  • Passed a Housing Equity Bill, to stop landlords from being able to deny housing for those who wish to pay through vouchers or any form of government assisted funding.

  • Successfully stopped three attempts to close the Eastside TAD, and in the process helped create a “pre-development assistance fund” to help non-profits such as churches revitalize neighborhoods and build affordable housing units.

  • Made Atlanta the second city in the country to ratify a Renter’s Rights Bill specifically targeting predatory pricing on security deposits.

  • Voted with Council to approve a $100 million affordable housing bond to preserve 3,500 housing units citywide.

Growing Atlanta’s Cultural Footprint

  • More than doubled the budget for the Office of Cultural Affairs from $950,000 to $2 million as a show of commitment to our creative class, particularly small and medium-sized arts non-profits.

  • Held citywide design competition to re-imagine private parking signs so that they are aesthetically pleasing rather than looking like an obscure terms of service agreement.