Posted inHousing, Local Politics, Politics & Policy, State Politics

Atlanta Residents’ Calls for Rent Control Ignored by Lawmakers

Atlanta Housing Justice League Executive Director Alison Johnson expressed anger and regret on Monday after bills backed by her organization failed to advance before the legislature’s Thursday Crossover Day deadline. Failure to pass related bills in the state House or the state Senate by the end of Crossover Day means it’s unlikely Georgia’s legislature will pass […]

Posted inHousing, Politics & Policy, State Politics

The Rent Is Too Damn High. Will Georgia Lawmakers Do Anything About It?

Black Atlantans and housing justice advocates have spent the past few years begging state lawmakers to do more to address housing-related issues like affordable housing shortages, rising rents, and low levels of homeownership among Black families. In response, Georgia Democrats — who had difficulty turning out Black voters in November — made addressing housing issues […]

Posted inJobs, Politics & Policy

“My Back Is Against the Wall”: Atlanta’s Black Federal Workers Reeling From Layoffs

Some of the Atlanta-based federal government workers who were recently laid off due to cost-saving efforts by the Trump administration and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had questions for their union leader on Thursday that she couldn’t answer. IT specialist Ryan Melton was one of nearly 600 laid off Centers for Disease […]

Posted inHousing, Politics & Policy

Why Affordable Housing Advocates Worry Atlanta’s Unhoused Population Is Growing

It’s been about three years since Janice Ruff reported her former landlord to the Atlanta Police Department’s housing code enforcement division for refusing to make repairs to her old apartment. That landlord received an estimated $3,500 fine, according to Ruff, who said he evicted her a short time later for having a “smart mouth.” She’s […]

Posted inEconomic Justice, History, Politics & Policy

With Inauguration Day on MLK Day, King’s Family Reflect on His Legacy

Sitting in his Atlanta home office with his wife and fellow civil rights activist Arndrea Waters King, Martin Luther King III can’t help but reflect on a deep irony: Martin Luther King Jr. Day coincides with the second presidential inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. 20. He worries about the fact that his father’s only […]

Posted inEconomy, Education, Housing, Politics & Policy, State Politics

How Georgia Lawmakers Plan to Address the Needs of Black Voters in 2025

Addressing Black voters’ economic concerns, including the higher cost of housing and child care, is among the top priorities for state Democratic lawmakers ahead of the Georgia General Assembly’s upcoming legislative session, which begins Monday. Democratic Party leaders in the state legislature, including state Rep. Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus, say their largely Black voting base made […]

Posted inHousing

Home for the Holidays: Former Residents of ‘Slum’ Housing Glow Up in New Apartments

The aroma of Fabuloso and other cleaning products brought smiles to the faces of Crystal Brown and her two young daughters on Saturday while they showed off their new two-bedroom home inside the Overlook Ridge Apartments complex in West Atlanta’s Harland Terrace neighborhood. The gated, luxury property features a sizable community pool, a fitness center, […]

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