What’s New In District 2?
Friday, March 27, 2026
Welcome to the official City Council District 2 Newsletter! Read today’s newsletter for updates on:
- Legislative updates from our office
- An invitation to our Tenant Organizer Training on April 11th
- 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 ⚖
Our first piece of legislation passed! In early March, City Council voted unanimously to pass our resolution to significantly expand the use of pre-arrest diversion programs ahead of the FIFA World Cup. It’s essential that our City doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the 1996 Olympics, during which thousands of houseless Atlantans were thrown in jail. It’s time to show a real commitment to compassionate alternatives to policing and end the criminalization of homelessness and poverty.
This resolution is also meant to help relieve Fulton County with inhumane levels of overcrowding at their jail, which has been deemed a human rights crisis. The prioritization of diversion should work in tandem with other tactics being spearheaded by Fulton County, including a last chance diversion hub outside the Fulton Jail, authorizing text notifications for court dates, lower bond amounts, and more.
With the passage of the resolution, APD will now report statistics on pre-arrest diversion to the Public Safety Committee on monthly basis. This data is essential to ensure that we are using diversion alternatives to the best of our ability, and making the best use of the Center for Diversion Services (CDS), which has capacity to hold up to 40 people a night. Still, APD is only diverting around four on average daily.
The tools to lower the jail population and prevent unnecessary arrests already exist. Now, we need the willpower to make that happen! This means ensuring that the City is investing in diversion resources such as 311 for supportive services, Policing Alternatives and Diversion Services, and the CDS ahead of the World Cup. Right now, it’s unclear if the City will make that commitment to involve PAD in the World Cup public safety plans. If you want to see PAD’s programming supported during the World Cup – reach out to City Councilmembers to make sure that commitment is made!
On Monday, March 16th we introduced a resolution declaring City Council’s opposition to the acquisition, renovation, expansion, and operation of ICE detention facilities warehouses within the City of Atlanta limits. We’re proud to announce that this week, 26-R-3361 passed out of Public Safety Committee and will be voted on at the full Council Meeting on April 20th.
This measure comes as the Trump administration escalates efforts to expand ICE presence and detention infrastructure across Georgia and the Metro Atlanta region. The legislation would prohibit the City of Atlanta from providing municipal property, tax abatements, incentives, grants, or other financial support for the establishment or operation of ICE detention facilities, while formally declaring the City’s formal opposition to their presence within Atlanta’s limits.
I was proud to collaborate with advocacy groups like the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR) and Play Fair ATL to not only draft this legislation, but turn out an outpouring of public comment from the community in favor of this initiative at this week’s Public Safety meeting. Right now, community members are scared of the unprecedented levels of federal overreach and risks to immigrant communities – both regarding the ICE acquisition of detention centers around the state, but also ICE presence at the airport.
If you or a loved one are traveling soon and want to understand your rights please see this Know Your Rights resource guide from the National Police Accountability Project. Please reach out to our office if you have an questions or concerns about ICE presence in Atlanta.
City Council on Recess!
Starting next week, City Council will be on recess until April 20th. While Council won’t be holding official meetings, our office will still be responding to questions and constituent requests. We’ll also be using this time to reset, set timelines, and make strategic plans for our office’s work over the coming months.
Please feel free to email Councilmember Bond with questions and concerns, and send constituent requests directly to our Constituent Services Staffer Bianca Garcia: bgarcia@atlantaga.gov.
Neighborhood Events
Over the next several months, we’ll be planning more neighborhood coffee meetings as well as town halls, trainings, and more.
Tenant Organizer Training 🏠 Learn how to connect with your neighbors to address rent increases, unfair evictions, and needs like building maintenance, to improve living conditions and promote housing justice. Join us on April 14th for this training in collaboration with the Housing Justice League!
If you have a District 2 event you’d like added to the newsletter, email us!
🌳Around Town🌷
On Sunday, March 1st we hosted our Community Rapid Response Training in collaboration with the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR). We learned and discussed ways each of us can protect and empower our immigrant neighbors and community by knowing your rights, documenting facts, and deescalating a situation. For more information and how you can get involved with GLAHR check out their website and reach out to our office (kbond@atlantaga.gov) if you’d like to set up a similar training with your neighborhood association.
On Friday, March 6th our team visited the Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative (PAD) team to get a tour of their office. PAD’s team of dedicated community response, care navigation, community engagement, and operations professionals work around the clock to support people experiencing extreme poverty, problematic substance use, or mental health concerns. If you see someone in need of support, call 311 and select the Supportive Services option regarding issues of community concern related to behavioral health or poverty.
Learn more about free services from PAD or how to become a volunteer or supporter on their website. Plus, keep an eye out for volunteer and training opportunities with our office and PAD in the coming weeks!
On Friday, March 13th we participated in the Life After Cars LIVE panel by Propel ATL at the Plaza Theater! We heard great insight from book authors Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon and engaged in great conversation with them and fellow panelist Sam Foster about Atlanta’s car dependence and what we can do collectively to move towards a greener Atlanta and have safer, healthier, and more connected communities.
On Tuesday, March 17th our office visited the Intown Cares Food Pantry located off Ponce De Leon Ave NE. It was amazing to see community members showing up for each other on a cold morning. If you or anyone you know is facing food insecurity, the Food Pantry is open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 AM – 12 PM. Food is free to all guests- no questions asked! You can show up to Druid Hills Presbyterian Church (1026 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306) or email food@intowncares.org
District 2 Updates & Resources
- Midtown Sewer Repairs 🚰 The Department of Watershed Management project at 10th Street NE and Juniper Street NE is projected to be completed and paved during the week of April 13th. A lane closure will remain in place afterward to allow crews to complete any remaining restoration work. The next phase of work will take place on 10th Street between Myrtle Street NE and Argonne Avenue NE.
- Ponce de Leon Ave 🛣️ Over the last several weeks, we received multiple questions about Ponce de Leon’s missing crosswalks following a street repaving by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). Pedestrian safety is a top priority for our office, and we are proud to announce that as of last week, ATLDOT and GDOT successfully worked together to replace the crosswalks! We are also aware that various crosswalk lights on Ponce are not working, and are communicating with both agencies to address this.
- Juniper Bike Lane 🚲 We’re also excited that the Juniper Bike Lane is now officially open and ready for use! You can get regular status updates about other Midtown Alliance Projects here.
- Moving Atlanta Forward! 🌉 You can follow the progress of ATLDOT’s Moving Atlanta Forward Infrastructure Package projects using this Moving Atlanta Forward Dashboard.
- Have Ideas for Transit Projects? 🛴 Provide your input into ATLDOT’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan by filling out the survey here!
- Need Help? 📲 Whether it’s a broken crosswalk sign, sewer issue, or any other non-emergency, you call 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.
- We have a new District 2 DPW Liaison! 🍁 The Department of Public Works has a new Solid Waste Education And Enforcement Team (SWEET) program, and our District 2 liaison is Officer Spurlock. We are working closely together to resolve public works needs for our constituents!
🚅 MARTA Updates 🚇
The NextGen Bus Network is launching April 18, 2026. Additional information is available here!
Better Breeze Factsheet 💳 MARTA will begin transitioning to the new Better Breeze system March 28, introducing flexible and secure payment options, including tap-to-pay with bank cards or mobile wallets, a new Breeze card, a new Breeze app, and cash. Customers are encouraged to spend down balances in advance and begin preparing for the transition. More information is available here!
New MARTA Trains! 🚉 Click the link below to see MARTA’s update on their new trains, recently featured in a CBS story featuring one of their veteran operators.
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