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What’s New In District 2?

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Welcome to the official City Council District 2 Newsletter! Read below for updates on:

  • The Atlanta City Budget
  • Legislative Updates
  • Neighborhood Events
  • And more!

If you have questions or suggestions as to what you’d like to see in these communications, please email us at kbond@atlantaga.gov.

🪙 Our First Budget Season 🪙

After a month and a half of budget hearings and Q&A, City Council approved the FY27 Budget last week. I was one of only two Councilmembers to vote against the Mayor’s FY27 budget, which proposed cuts to key departments like Parks & Recreation, the Department of Transportation, and City Planning driven by last year’s budget deficit following large expenses on Cop City and police overtime in 2024.

During the budget hearings, I argued that as our City grows, we need to expand funding for park maintenance, safe sidewalks, and community-oriented forms of public safety like community violence interruption and Policing Alternatives and Diversion Services that are known to reduce crime long-term. I believe that Atlanta residents deserve a budget that reflects a proactive vision for the City that centers accessibility, investment in public spaces, and programs that uplift working families. I am excited to work with City Council members in the coming years to build a budget that actually reflects those values.

While City Council was unable to pass any significant budget amendments to restore funding for these key departments, I was proud to pass my first budget amendment to secure a $50,000 donation to the Little 5 Points Community Center – one of my favorite spots and a longtime pillar for arts, culture, and community in District 2!  

You can read AJC’s coverage of the final Budget vote here, plus visual breakdowns by city department.

Community Participation!

While I did not support the final budget, I was proud to see how many community members participated in BOTH of Council’s Public Budget Hearings. In case you missed it, Council held a second public budget hearing in June after a majority of Council members missed the first due to inclement weather. During the hearings, Atlanta residents turned out to advocate for parks and infrastructure, community violence interruption, PAD, and other funding priorities.  

Read Atlanta Civic Circle’s coverage of the public budget hearings here.

Looking Ahead

Our budget process is not perfect. Looking ahead, I hope to work to create a longer, more transparent, and deliberative budget process that encourages community participation sooner than later. To that end, our office is exploring what it would mean to start the budget process sooner, hold earlier public budget hearings that clearly require a quorum of Councilmembers, and solicit NPU feedback (which is already called for in the City Code, but not enforced in practice!).

Thank you to everyone who emailed, showed up, and otherwise engaged in the FY27 Budget process. I look forward to building a budget that truly reflects the needs of Atlanta’s working families in the years to come!

🗺️ Tax Allocation Districts 🗺️

Tax Allocation Districts Last Monday, Atlanta City Council voted to extend six Tax Allocation Districts until 2056, representing approximately $8 billion dollars which will be captured from the City, County, and APS general funds to go towards private development.

Since the Mayor’s Office first proposed extending the Tax Allocation Districts (TADs) last fall, I have made my concerns clear regarding how TADs impact funding for public schools, and their past failures to achieve equitable outcomes. For these reasons, I was one of two “no” votes against last week’s ordinance to extend the TADs. My opposition to the TADs as a funding mechanism continues to be rooted in my preference for progressive taxation, rather than continuing to drain the public schools’ coffers. Instead, I believe the City should more actively work with Fulton County to fairly appraise luxury commercial properties (this was recently achieved with data centers!) which would eventually raise more funding than the TADs. Additionally, if the TADs were to expire as planned, APS could afford pursuing universal pre-k for 3 and 4 year olds. Because childcare increasingly represents such a large expense for working families, this policy would likely do more to materially uplift working families in Atlanta rather than funding capital projects limited to small geographic regions.

What changed? Despite my criticisms, I do want to emphasize how, thanks to community pushback and Councilmembers’ amendments, the final legislation looked different from what was originally introduced. While the Mayor’s initial ordinance last fall proposed extending all eight TADs with no guardrails, the legislation passed last week only proposed extending six TADs (excluding the Beltline and Perry Bolton TADs) which will allow billions of dollars to flow back to the public schools once the TADs sunset. Councilmembers also passed amendments which require City Council to vote on redevelopment plans before any bonds are taken out, and also requires participation from either Fulton or APS before bonding.

What’s next? Although City Council voted, that doesn’t mean the TADs are a done deal. Both Fulton County and APS still need to vote for themselves whether to opt in, and the redevelopment plans need to be completed with community input and City Council oversight. The audit that was released just days before City Council voted reported that previous iterations of TADs lacked clear goals, guardrails, or accountability. If the TADs are ultimately extended, it’s crucial to ensure that these funds go to projects that will have the highest positive impact on communities in need, and that the redevelopment plans reflect those priorities.

Read the full tAD Audit Here

More reading on the TADs:

⚖️ Legislative Updates ⚖️

Accountability for Dewberry 🏗️ Tired of looking at Dewberry’s abandoned, skeletal tower in Midtown? For years, Midtown residents have spoken out about the half-complete Campanile high rise, citing concerns around safety, sidewalk access, and wasted space. Since the developer’s construction permits expired last fall, our office has been in communication with State and City departments working to restore safety at the site, particularly surrounding the abandoned crane. We also worked with Councilmember Westmoreland to introduce two resolutions to hold the property owners accountable, including 1) Urging the executive branch to levy a blight tax on the abandoned site starting in 2027, and 2) Requesting that the Fulton County Board of Assessors explain why the Campanile building has received a 25% tax break for the last several years, despite zero to no progress on the site.

For too long, ultra-wealthy developers like John Dewberry have been able to get away with little to no accountability, and in this case not even paying their fair share in taxes. We are hopeful that the these government bodies will collaborate to expedite a solution, whether that’s a sale of the property or completion of the site. Thank you to all the community members who kept up the pressure to get movement on this! Read coverage from the AJC.

For too long, ultra-wealthy developers like John Dewberry have been able to get away with little to no accountability, and in this case not even paying their fair share in taxes. We are hopeful that the these government bodies will collaborate to expedite a solution, whether that’s a sale of the property or completion of the site. Thank you to all the community members who kept up the pressure to get movement on this! Read coverage from the AJC.

Humans over AI 🎨 We also passed legislation asking that City communications prioritize the use of human-created art and media in official city communications, and to create transparency around the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The recent use of AI in official City social media, presentations, and documents raises concerns about transparency, factualness, and the valuation of human art. Read more from the AJC.

Housing Help Center Audit 🏠 Atlanta has one of the highest eviction rates in the country, and we know it’s important for policy to be shaped by data! The City’s Housing Help Center was created in 2023 to help Atlantans who are facing eviction or have other housing needs. This month, Council passed my resolution requesting an audit of the Housing Help Center so we can better understand how it has worked so far, track the volume of need, and use the data collected to inform future housing policy intiatives. Stay tuned for the audit’s release in August!

🌳Around Town🌷

Celebrating Brian Goldstone📕On May 18th we recognized Brian Goldstone, journalist and author of There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America, for his critical work to highlight the stories of working homeless families in metro Atlanta. Stories like this are such an important part of the fight to win an Atlanta that truly works for everyone, and housing as a human right. I highly recommend reading Brian’s book, which you can learn more about on his website.

Fulton County Jail Reform ⚖️ On May 28th I was proud to stand beside community organizers and advocates to celebrate the decision by Fulton County to stop accepting certain non-violent misdemeanors at the jail, to continue emphasizing the need to fully fund the Policing Alternatives & Diversion (PAD) Initiative, and reinstating their contract with the Center for Diversion and Services which has been in limbo for several weeks.

“From Grief to Action” Film Screening 🎬 On Monday, June 1st, we joined community members at the Plaza Theatre for a film screening and conversation on homelessness in Atlanta, sponsored by the Justice for Cornelius Taylor Coalition. This moving short film told the story of the tragic death of Cornelius Taylor during an encampment sweep last year, and the organizing work that followed, led by former Old Wheat Street residents and grassroots organizations. I was proud to speak on the panel alongside some amazing organizers fighting to demand justice for our houseless neighbors and housing as a human right in Atlanta!

O4W Soccer Kickoff Party ⚽ Old Fourth Ward kicked off the big games last Friday, with a neighborhood watch party at the Historic Fourth Ward Park. Neighbors gathered on the lawn to local food, community, and soccer! Huge shout-out to the neighborhood volunteers that made this event a success! For more information on the games in Atlanta, you can visit the City’s page here.

District 2 Updates & Resources

  • Constituent Services 🦋 It’s been 6 months since the start of our term, and so far, our office has helped solve over 100 constituent requests in District 2! (Huge shout out to our constituent services staffer, Bianca!👏) If you have constituent needs or need help navigating City resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Constituent Services staffer Bianca Garcia at bgarcia@atlantaga.gov.
  • New Summer Intern ☀️ We’re excited to welcome Tayten Green, our new intern for the summer! Tayten is a student at Georgia State University curious to learn more about housing, transit, and environmental policy.
  • Need Help? 📲 Whether it’s a broken crosswalk sign, sewer issue, or any other non-emergency, you can fill out a 311 ticket here. Don’t get the results you need? Email us your 311 case number and we’ll help escalate to the proper channel.
  • See Someone in Need? ➕ Call PAD, the Policing Alternatives and Diversion team, at 311 M-F between 7AM-12AM and select option 2 for ‘Supportive Services.’ PAD sends out their team within 30 minutes to address individuals who are experiencing extreme poverty, mental health concerns, or homelessness.
  • Get LIVE City Updates 📲 Sign up for Notify ATL text or email updates for live emergency and weather-related alerts so you can stay on top of what’s going on. Sign up here
  • Atlanta’s Housing Help Center 🏠 Need housing assistance? The Housing Help Center can help you navigate housing resources and provide guidance for your housing needs.
  • Citywide Solid Waste Collection Services 🚛 remain on schedule during the World Cup June 15 – July 15, 2026 (exception Juneteenth weekend). Place all carts at the curb by 7 AM on your collection day. Questions? Call 404-546-0311 or visit atl311.com
  • Legal Defense Fund Youth Summer Series ⚖️Don’t miss out on this youth opportunity (ages 15-22) to build up political and organizing skills, network with organizations, and learn about different resources in the Atlanta area! This event is FREE to attend, and food will be provided. Register here

Transportation Updates

Beltline Southside Trail Opens 🛴On June 12th the final segment of the southside trail opened, connecting the east and west sides of the Beltline. Nearly 17 miles of continuous trail are now open to Atlantans, with the full 22-mile loop expected to be completed in 2030.

Have Ideas for NEW Transit Projects? 🛣️ Provide your input into ATLDOT’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan by filling out the survey here! These submissions will help inform ATLDOT’s next round of capital delivery projects.

ATLDOT Capital Projects🚦You can read more about current and slated Moving Atlanta Forward Infrastructure Package projects using the Moving Atlanta Forward Dashboard.

MARTA Resources 🚇

Get Involved

Want to get involved in your neighborhood, but don’t know where to start? Find your Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) using this NPU locator or get involved in your local neighborhood association:

Find Your NPU

NPU Monthly Meetings:

  • NPU-E – Register here. Every first Tuesday at 6:30 pm – Next meeting is October 6th
  • NPU-F – Register here. Every third Wednesday at 7:00 pm – Next meeting is October 21st
  • NPU-M – Register here. Every fourth Monday at 6:15 pm – Next meeting is October 26th
  • NPU-N – Register here. Every fourth Thursday at 7:00 pm – Next meeting is October 22nd

District 2 Neighborhood Associations:

Thanks for taking the time to read our newsletter! Don’t hesitate to reach out to our office with questions, comments, or newsletter suggestions. Thanks for helping us work to build an Atlanta that works for the 99%!

Solidarity,

Kelsea Bond

District 2 Councilmember