Next Steps Unclear for Atlanta Public Safety Training Center

An Atlanta city council member says she supports a referendum on the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center during this November’s election.

In June, the Atlanta City Council voted to allocate $30 million in uncommitted funds for the training center, which has sparked violent protests.

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Atlanta Signs Off on $4 Million Plan to Use Shipping Containers for Homeless Housing

The Atlanta City Council signed off on spending $4 million to develop “quick-delivery housing” for the city’s homeless population.

Last month, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued an executive order directing the city’s chief financial officer to fund a new “Rapid Housing” initiative. The city plans to repurpose shipping containers that the Georgia Emergency Management Agency used as temporary hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic and are now being decommissioned.

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Atlanta City Council Wants Action on Blocked Grade Crossings

An Atlanta City Council committee has passed a measure to advocate for punishing railroads that block grade crossings for prolonged periods, the latest salvo in an ongoing dispute between railroads and communities nationwide.

The Atlanta measure calls on the Georgia General Assembly and Congress to pass legislation limiting how long freight trains can block a grade crossing.

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Measure Would Require Atlanta Gas Stations Have Surveillance Cameras

An Atlanta City Council committee has signed off on a measure requiring gas stations to have surveillance cameras, a proposal proponents say will keep residents safe.

With the thumbs up from the Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee, the full city council will consider the measure at its Aug. 7 meeting, a city official confirmed to The Center Square.

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Buckhead Public Safety Task Force Issues Final Report, Plan to Halt Crime

The Buckhead Public Safety Task Force (Legislative Reference No. 22-R-3001) issued its final report on Friday, with recommendations and a plan to curb crime in the northernmost Atlanta district, wherein the city stated a new police precinct will open up in June.

“Task Force participants were able to hear from a broad spectrum of public safety stakeholders, and I look forward to seeing that expertise translated into a meaningful action plan,” said District 7 Council member Howard Shook.

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Atlanta City Council Approves Guaranteed Minimum Income Program

Keisha Lance Bottoms

The Atlanta City Council passed a new pilot program that will provide direct, monthly cash payments to certain residents of the city.

The initiative, entitled Income Mobility Program for Atlanta Community Transformation (IMPACT), will award a stipend of $500 per month for up to 12 months to individuals who qualify.

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Gov. Kemp Signs Order Blocking COVID-19 Mandates on Georgia Businesses

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order Thursday that blocks local governments from mandating COVID-19 restrictions on businesses.

Private sector businesses and sports teams can follow local COVID-19 requirements if they chose, but Kemp’s order stops them from being required to do so.

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