What’s New In District 2?
Monday, April 27, 2026
Welcome to the official City Council District 2 Newsletter! Read below for updates on:
- Fighting for a Fair World Cup
- An invitation to our Policing Alternatives and Diversion (PAD) Training May 16th
- Legislative Updates
- Infrastructure, Bike Lanes, & More!
- What we’ve been up to!
If you have questions or suggestions as to what you’d like to see in these communications, please email us at kbond@atlantaga.gov.
⚖ City Council Updates ⚖
Fighting for Expanded PAD Coverage, the Firefighters’ Union Contract, and Opposing ICE Detention
Last Monday’s Council Meeting was a busy day! On top of passing our resolution in opposition to ICE detention centers in Atlanta, we held a press conference alongside the Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative (PAD), the Atlanta Professional Firefighters’ Union, Play Fair ATL, the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR), and others in support of upholding human rights during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. What would it mean to have a fair World Cup? Read more to find out.
Expanding 311 Coverage on Weekends: In February, I was proud to pass legislation to expand police diversion efforts ahead of the World Cup. We know that during the 1996 Olympics, far too many Atlantans were arrested just for being homeless.
We have a chance now to do better. Right now, 311 dispatches to PAD Monday through Friday 7am-12am for cases involving homelessness or mental illness. But, without that coverage expanded to weekends during the games, we risk leaving a gap in PAD response. The City needs to ensure that ALL public safety response options are available to Atlanta residents and visitors.
What’s the good news? At last Monday’s meeting we heard dozens of advocates speak out in favor of PAD, and we are now thrilled to announce we’ve heard that 311, PAD, and the Mayor’s Office are in conversation around weekend 311 coverage.
A Union Contract for Firefighters: Last summer, Atlanta firefighters secured a historic victory by getting their first ever union contract with the City approved. However, nearly one year since the contract was approved by City Council, the Mayor has not signed their union contract. Atlanta firefighters some of the worst paid in the region, causing low morale and low retention rates. We know that sustained low staffing could lead to serious injury and lives lost. Our office has been proud to stand with union firefighters while they fight to secure fair pay and a signed contract.
What’s the good news? While the contract has not yet been signed, during Monday’s Council meeting, legislation was introduced calling for equitable fair pay for firefighters! If you’d like to support, email City Council members to let them know!
ICE Out of ATL: On Monday, City Council voted unanimously to approve two resolutions, authored by myself and Councilmember Antonio Lewis, to curb ICE powers in Atlanta. My resolution, 26-R-3361, expresses City Council’s opposition to the expansion of ICE detention in Atlanta, in response to the acquisition of massive detention warehouses across the South, including Social Circle, GA. Lewis’s, 26-R-3363, establishes a protocol for APD to report ICE misconduct. Both resolutions send a clear message that ICE is not welcome in Atlanta, and that all people deserve to feel safe here, regardless of their documentation status.
What’s the bad news? In 2026, Georgia saw large increases in the rate of ICE arrests, now ranking 5th in the nation. Further, it remains unclear whether we will see ICE presence during the World Cup games. Our office is doing what we can to educate community members on their rights, which is why we held a rapid response training last month. Read more about it here.
Investment in Violence Prevention: Just weeks ago, Atlanta witnessed a tragedy in the killing of 16-year-old Tianah Robinson, and the injury of 15-year-old Italia Wilson at Piedmont Park. This shooting was a horrific incident of gun violence, and an event we must work to never repeat. Our hearts go out to these girls, as well as their families and friends, during this heavy time. As we fight for tighter gun restrictions at the state level, we must continue investing in grassroots violence prevention programs such as H.O.P.E. Hustlers and Gangstas to Growers doing meaningful work to invest in young people and our communities – especially leading up to the World Cup. Gun violence is a public health crisis in the United States, and we cannot end it without treating it as such.
What’s next?
Budget Season: While we fight for expanded PAD coverage and advocate for fair pay for firefighters, we are also preparing for budget season! Atlanta City Council budget hearings begin May 5th, and the final budget vote takes place Monday, June 1st. Stay tuned for more information on how to follow Atlanta’s budget process. Have questions? Items you want to see funded? Email us at kbond@atlantaga.gov.
The TADs: Last December, after the Mayor’s office withdrew legislation to extend all eight Tax Allocation Districts (TADs), City Council voted to create the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative (NRI) Oversight Commission to provide recommendations to City Council on the NRI and possible TAD extension. This week, Councilmembers will vote on whether to accept those recommendations. City Council will likely be presented with a new TAD extension proposal in the coming weeks. Our office remains concerned about any proposal to blanket extend the TADs, not only because it would invite legal scrutiny from the State, but also because it would mean more tax dollars siphoned away from Atlanta Public Schools. Alternatively, we believe our local governments should seek out more progressive and equitable forms of taxation, such as ensuring that luxury commercial property owners pay their fair share in property taxes – instead of draining our already strained school system. Need an explainer on the TADs? Try this article.
Fighting Eviction: We all know that Atlanta’s facing an affordable housing crisis, with severe shortages of deeply affordable housing specifically. To make things worse, Eviction Lab just published data showing that Atlanta has some of the highest eviction filing rates in the country. So what are we doing about it? Keep reading for a recap of our recent Tenants’ Rights training with Housing Justice League, and stay tuned for updates on our work to fight evictions in Atlanta.
Neighborhood Events
Policing Alternatives & Diversion (PAD) Training ➕ Did you know there’s an alternative to calling the police? Join Councilmember Bond and PAD for a training on how to use PAD’s services, volunteer, and support your neighbors experiencing extreme poverty, mental health concerns, or homelessness.
Old Fourth Ward 5K 🏃♂️➡️Join O4W on Saturday, May 9th for the 10th annual O4W 5K! Support for the O4W5K goes directly towards helping students at Hope-Hill Elementary School. Proceeds support the Hope-Hill Foundation which supports teachers and students through direct investments in STEM field trips, teacher wellbeing, and capital investments in safety and beautification of the school. You can find more information about the race here, or donate to the foundation here.
If you have a District 2 event you’d like added to the newsletter, email us!
🌳Around Town🌷
Juniper Bike Lane Ribbon Cutting ✂️ On Thursday, April 16th we were proud to join the community to celebrate the new Juniper Street Bike Lane, now open to the public in Midtown!
Tenant Organizer Training 🏠 On Saturday, April 11th our office worked with Housing Justice League to host a training on how to fight rent increases, unfair evictions, and bad management where you live!
Healthcare Matters Forum 🩺 On Sunday, April 12th, we had a wonderful time speaking with the community about the importance of Universal Healthcare, alongside medical workers and community advocates at Physician’s for a National Health Program’s (PNHP) Healthcare Matters Forum.
Marching in the Inman Park Parade 🚅 We were proud to join Beltline Rail Now! and community members last weekend at the Inman Park Parade to advocate for transit expansion that voters were promised.
🚲 District 2 Updates & Resources 🌼
- Sidewalk Repairs Project ⛔ See a sidewalk in district that needs to be repaired? Let us know! Our office has been working with NPUs and Neighborhood Associations to collect suggestions for sidewalk repairs that will be paid with our discretionary funds. Email bgarcia@atlantaga.gov with the exact address and a photo of the sidewalk!
- New Midtown Park! 🌳 Earlier this month, the District 2 Team attended the Midtown Alliance annual meeting, which included an update on the newest park planned in Midtown: (for now) called the “Midtown Green”. The new park will be a 4-acre greenspace on 14th street, near the Arts Center MARTA station. Stay tuned for updates from Midtown Alliance and read more about it here.
- Monroe Dr. Safe Street Update 🛣️ Improvements are underway along Monroe Dr. between 10th St and Woodward Ave including resurfacing, pedestrian safety improvements, and traffic signal improvements. You can read more about this project and other Moving Atlanta Forward Infrastructure projects using the Moving Atlanta Forward Dashboard.
- Have Ideas for NEW Transit Projects? 🛴 Provide your input into ATLDOT’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan by filling out this survey!
- Findley Plaza Redesign ✨ This month Findley Plaza in Little 5 Points reopened with a whole new look and feel. You can read more about it here.
- 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.
- LIVE 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
🚅 MARTA Updates 🚇
Summerhill Bus Rapid Transit is Live! 🚌MARTA’s new rapid bus line is ready to ride! We checked it out last weekend during Atlanta Streets Alive, and it was a blast! Learn more about the route and how to ride it here.
The NextGen Bus Network 🚌 has launched! This might mean your bus route is changing. Find more information here!
New Breeze System! 💳 MARTA is currently transitioning to the Better Breeze system, featuring new Breeze cards, plus tap-to-pay, and a new Breeze app. More information is available here!
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:
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