Last Monday, a mass shooting on Edgewood Avenue left 11 people injured, one man dead, and Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood reeling. In response to increased pressure from the neighborhood planning unit, the city on Aug. 4 released its Coordinated Safety & Compliance Measures on Edgewood Avenue plan with a list of actions to address safety […]
Liliana Bakhtiari
Posted inCity Politics, Housing
If Atlanta Is a Black Mecca, Why Are 8 Out of 10 Homeless People Black?
Forty-seven percent of Atlanta residents are Black, but the city commonly referred to as the Black Mecca had a homeless population in January that was 80% Black, according to the latest Point-In-Time homelessness census count released on Monday. Of equal concern, on Jan. 27, the city logged 131 homeless families, an 18% rise from the […]
Posted inCity Politics, Public Safety
Calls to End Encampment Sweeps Grow After Killing of Cornelius Taylor
Supporters of Cornelius Taylor — the Black man who officials say was killed on Jan. 17 by a construction vehicle clearing an encampment of unhoused people in Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue neighborhood — are demanding city policy changes following his horrific demise. Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari introduced a resolution Thursday calling for officials to […]
Posted inUncategorized
City Council OK’s Referendum Law. For Some, There’s Still a Problem.
Atlanta lawmakers approved an ordinance on Monday outlining how citizen-driven ballot referendum petitions must be processed moving forward. But voting rights advocates say they’re disappointed in the new law’s signature verification requirement, which they believe could circumvent the will of voters in a city known for Black civil rights leaders who were champions of voting […]
Posted inCop City
Lawmakers Table Ballot Referendum Ordinance, Angering Cop City Vote Backers
An anticipated Atlanta City Council vote on a ballot referendum ordinance backed by Stop Cop City activists was postponed on Monday after municipal attorneys raised concerns about whether the measure violates existing state law. The original legislation introduced by Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari on Jan. 8 would codify a process for Atlanta residents […]
Posted inCity Politics
Two City Council Members Will Push to Put ‘Cop City’ on the Ballot
Two Atlanta City Council members are drafting legislation that would put plans to build the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, dubbed “Cop City,” up for a ballot referendum in November. Their efforts come in the aftermath of the city attorney announcing on Monday that officials would not begin to verify the 116,000 signatures collected by […]
Posted inReproductive Health
Atlanta Leaders and Local Activists Say More Is Needed to Support Abortion Fund
The Atlanta City Council approved a resolution seeking more support from metro Atlanta counties for abortion services. On Wednesday, the council, led by District 5 representative Lilliana Bakhtiari, urged Atlanta’s executive branch to collaborate with neighboring counties to invest in abortion care. Last year, the council approved donating $300,000 to support ARC-Southeast, an organization providing […]