Atlanta council selects Edgewood task force members
ATLANTA - The Atlanta City Council has approved a resolution appointing nine members to the newly formed Edgewood Corridor Public Safety Task Force, created in response to a July 28 shooting in the Old Fourth Ward that left one person dead and multiple others injured. The measure was adopted as an immediate consideration and forwarded to Mayor Andre Dickens’ office for final approval.
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What we know:
The task force will focus on developing strategies to reduce crime and enhance safety along the busy Edgewood Avenue corridor, working closely with local business owners, residents, and public safety officials.
In other action, the Council approved a series of measures focused on housing, public safety, transportation, and clean energy:
- Short-term rentals: Approved new regulations for short-term rentals in the Home Park neighborhood (25-O-1249).
- Affordable housing and blight: Authorized eminent domain proceedings against long-blighted multi-family properties (25-R-3743) and approved action to acquire the Magnolia Park and Azalea Gardens complexes to support redevelopment as affordable housing (25-R-3744).
- Diversion center funding: Renewed a two-year, $10 million agreement with Grady Memorial Hospital for the Center for Diversion and Services (25-R-3741).
- Rapid housing initiative: Approved a 75-year ground lease with Partners For Home to develop quick-delivery housing on public land (25-O-1437).
- Energy grant: Accepted $125,500 from the U.S. Department of Energy to study building performance standards (25-O-1409).
- Solar incentives: Directed the Department of City Planning to fast-track solar projects eligible for the Residential Clean Energy Credit before it sunsets in 2025.
New items introduced include a request for MARTA to brief the Council on safety protocols following a July 14 escalator malfunction, financial support for Cascade Road small businesses impacted by city infrastructure projects, a $14.5 million contract to build Fire Station 29-EMS, and a $625,000 federal grant application to study passenger rail in metro Atlanta.
Other proposals include a $600,000 donation to support eviction defense services through the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, $500,000 for Grove Park Foundation neighborhood capacity-building, the removal of parking meters in Atkins Park’s commercial district, and new restrictions on sound-permeable construction materials in city limits.
What we don't know:
The city did not provide names of the members of the Edgewood task force.