A few weeks ago, heavy rains came down quickly in Atlanta, turning the city’s Downtown Connector into a lake during rush-hour traffic. As the rain fell, some drivers were seen sitting on the hood of their vehicles as their cars became submerged, while others waded through waist-high water and abandoned their cars. On May 20, […]
Climate Change
Posted inClimate Change, Criminal Justice, Economic Development, Environmental Justice, Policing, Politics & Policy
Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ Makes a Black Neighborhood a Testing Lab for AI Policing
This story was published in partnership with Counterstream Media for The AI issue of Peace & Riot. ATLANTA — When he drives through his neighborhood now, Brian Page passes rows of police cars and AI‑powered cameras that track nearly every movement. For most of his life, Page, who goes by “Scapegoat Jones,” felt safest in […]
Posted inClimate Change, Economic Development, Environmental Justice, Housing, Politics & Policy
The Black Mecca’s Climate Plan Is Costing Black Atlanta Residents Their Homes
This is the first story in a series on “climate gentrification” in Black neighborhoods. Support for this series was provided by The Neal Peirce Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting journalism on ways to make cities and their larger regions work better for all people. ATLANTA — By the time Atlanta hosts a World Cup […]
Posted inClimate Change, Environmental Justice, Politics & Policy
New Tree Rules Bring Higher Removal Fees and Help for Seniors
The Atlanta City Council has approved revisions to the city’s long-standing tree protection rules, marking the most significant update in over two decades. The unanimous decision by the council introduces increased fees for tree removal and establishes a new senior citizen tree assistance program. Despite these changes, some council members and environmental advocates express concern […]
Posted inClimate Change, Environmental Justice
A Flash Flood Submerged Parts of Atlanta. Here’s Why Black Neighborhoods Were the Hardest Hit.
Hunter Hills residents are all too familiar with floodwater creeping into their homes. But even longtime resident Michele McCord was taken aback when a severe thunderstorm brought a torrential downpour on Sept. 14, turning streets into streams that quickly flooded her basement. McCord was sitting at home that afternoon when water began rushing in. Within […]