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News Roundup

ATL Becomes Largest Metro Area in the Southeast For First Time in History

Your AM Rundown: Plus, how local organizations are partnering to help local HBCU students on 404 Day.

For the first time in history, Atlanta is the largest city in the southeast United States, according to population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
(Steve Kelley/Getty Images)

Top of the morning! 

Here is Your AM Rundown, with news updates in 400 words or less. Get caught up on headlines and other developments you might’ve missed. 

Here’s what to know for today:

  • Atlanta is officially the largest metro area in the Southeast, surpassing Miami. According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, metro Atlanta’s population surged despite pandemic-influenced obstacles, bringing the area’s estimated total population to 6,144,050 residents.
  • Voters may have new questions about Vernon Jones party affiliation after public records show that he actually voted on a Democratic ballot in the 2020 presidential primary election. The former DeKalb County CEO and self-proclaimed “Black Donald Trump” is running as a Republican for an open seat in Georgia’s 10th Congressional District.
  • Atlanta has opened five new resource centers throughout the city in an effort to promote and support small businesses. Mayor Andre Dickens, alongside Invest Atlanta CEO Eloisa Klementich, made the joint announcement Monday in southwest Atlanta at Pittsburgh Yards. The centers will feature in-person and virtual meetings, offering free consulting and coaching in areas including finance, planning, web development, and marketing.
  • Over 200 new affordable houses and townhomes will be built on the former site of the Perry Homes public housing complex in west Atlanta. Atlanta Housing officials voted in favor of the development, which will include 64 affordable housing units. AH will now wait for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to approve the measure.

ICYMI: In an effort to help HBCUs faced with decreasing enrollment during the pandemic, Choose ATL, Butter ATL, and Atlanta Influences Everything have teamed up to create a scholarship fund specifically for upperclassmen at the Atlanta University Center Consortium. 

The 404 Day Scholarship Fund will officially launch on April 4, in line with the annual 404 Day celebration honoring the city’s global cultural influence. The fund will provide $16,000 in scholarships and seed money to eligible seniors at Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Morehouse School of Medicine to help close the financial gap.

Got tips, pitches, or other updates to include in Your AM Rundown? Hit us up at atltips@capitalbatl.org.