JOURNALISM
Fulton County, its cities face fiscal cliff of their own creation
- By David Pendered Fulton County and all the cities in it could fall off their own fiscal cliff on Thursday. Atlanta could lose tax revenues that pay for 19 percent of its current year budget. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed notifies the Atlanta City Council that $100 million in sales tax revenues are at risk. Credit: David Pendered Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed told the Atlanta City Council in a special session Wednesday evening that the future is uncertain for a major source of ...more
Willis unfit for office, say Franklin, Woolard; Attack ads possible against Franklin
- By David Pendered Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard said Tuesday that Councilmember H. Lamar Willis is unfit for public office because of his ethical misconduct and should be replaced by challenger Andre Dickens. Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Frankln (center) and former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard say incumbent Councilmember H. Lamar Willis is unfit for public office and should be replaced by candidate Andre Dickens. Credit: David Pendered Franklin and Woolard, who passed ...more
As Wall Street buys houses as investments, local leaders plan their response
- By David Pendered Now that it’s no secret that Wall Street investors are buying distressed houses in metro Atlanta for the emerging homes-for-lease industry, the question is what that means for the surrounding neighborhoods and the future of homeownership. Bruce Gunter, former CEO of Progressive Redevelopment, Inc., questions how for-profits and non-profits can collaborate to provide housing that’s affordable to those of average means. Credit: ANDP John O’Callaghan, who heads ANDP, the region’s major non-profit focused on the foreclosure issue, suggests that ...more
Lead partner in Gulch project to sell 70 percent of NYC deal to state-owned Chinese firm
- By David Pendered A subsidiary of the lead developer of the Gulch in downtown Atlanta has a tentative deal to sell 70 percent of its stake in a Brooklyn project to a Chinese firm in order to raise cash to continue the work on the $5 billion Atlantic Yards. The $1 billion redevelopment of the Gulch, in downtown Atlanta, is headed by a company whose subsidiary just sold a 70 percent stake in a Brooklyn project to raise money. Credit: curbatlanta.com If ...more
Proud day for future pipefitter: She was graduated and hugged her son
- By David Pendered Jacquelyn Treadville-Samuels is on her way to becoming a pipefitter. After commencement Thursday, the single mom hugged her 8-year-old son and said she’s considering a career in underwater welding. Jaquelyn Treadville-Samuels hugs her son after graduating from a pre-appreprenticeship program offered by Trade-Up. Credit: David Pendered “The pay’s good, and it would allow me the time to do other things, to give back,” Treadville-Samuels said in an auditorium bustling with beaming graduates and their families. In all, eight women were ...more
MARTA to unveil new buses in festive event reminiscent of system’s glory days
- As part of its new effort to promote the positive, MARTA on Thursday will display one of its new CNG buses at the Five Points Station. Yesteryear: MARTA's predecessor, the Atlanta Transit Co., operated this type of vehicle in the 1950s. Credit: motorbussociety.org MARTA, not wanting to spoil the surprise, is not releasing photos of the new buses until after the event, which is slated from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The buses feature an updated logo and eye-catching elements, according ...more
Atlanta’s business, civic leaders content with performance of mayor, most councilmembers
- Atlanta’s business and civic leaders are generally satisfied with the performance of the mayor and most councilmembers, according to a score sheet of incumbents and challengers released in advance of the Nov. 5 municipal election. Mayor Kasim Reed received a score of 99 out of 100, for a rating of “excellent.” Council President Ceasar Mitchell received a score of 92, “excellent.” In the campaigns for three citywide council posts, Councilmember Aaron Watson received a score of 95 and challenger Mary Norwood, a ...more
Piece by Piece conference to focus on stabilizing neighborhoods in era of great change
- The great recession has fundamentally altered some neighborhoods in Atlanta, and their future is unclear as homes have moved and continue to move through the foreclosure process. More than 40 percent of the 7,789 homes now in the sales pipeline, or heading to the pipeline, are in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process, according to a recent report of sales tracked by trulia.com, a real estate marketplace. Wall Street investors are purchasing a significant number of homes ...more
Leinberger’s latest on metro Atlanta: Sprawl ending, WalkUPs are next growth cycle
- Chris Leinberger’s new report on metro Atlanta recharges his thesis that walkable communities will characterize the region’s next wave of development. “Metro Atlanta, the ‘poster child of sprawl,’ is now experiencing the end of spawl,” Leinberger contends in the report released Thursday, “The WalkUP Wake-Up Call: Atlanta.” Atlanta is the second city Leinberger examined in what may well become a series of “WalkUP Wake-Up” studies. Washington, D.C. was the subject of a 2012 report, and other cities being contemplated for future analysis ...more
Atlanta street vending: No action on new program, but help for city’s legal defense
- Atlanta continues to struggle to create a street vending program and on Tuesday again deferred action. Meanwhile, the number of lawsuits over the vending issues continues to increase, a city attorney on Tuesday told the Public Safety Committee of the Atlanta City Council. The committee did approve a measure intended to help the city defend against the lawsuits.Five months have passed since the committee passed a motion calling on Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration to present a solid recommendation for a vending ...more