Will Georgia Legislature OK bills to increase housing density amid affordability crisis? "Being able to bring some incentivization can actually encourage the development we want to see.”

How ICE operates in Georgia: Atlantans turn out for community-response training What kind of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity is there in Georgia?

Tiny homes anywhere? House advances bill to override local zoning restrictions. It's a welcome surprise for those who say residential density is key to housing affordability.

Temco drivers unionize despite stiff opposition — a first for a Home Depot subsidiary “We did have management telling us that we were going to lose our jobs and [the shop] would shut down.”

Anti-protestor bill gets toned down as it advances through Senate Civil liberties advocates say SB443 infringes on protected First Amendment activities.

With Crossover Day fast approaching, housing bills are moving slowly March 6 is the last day for bills to cross over from one Gold Dome chamber to the other.

Tricia Pridemore drops PSC reelection bid, opening up another statewide race Pridemore is one of three Republicans on the five-member Public Service Commission.

Ilhan Omar and Minnesota activists share tips to resist ICE, support communities The building block to resist ICE is getting to know your neighbors.

Zoning Review Board green-lights Kirkwood housing for homeless seniors “We’re talking about people who are sleeping in parking lots, as we get ready to debate parking spaces.”

Timed out: What’s in Atlanta OIG’s cases that shut down for exceeding new time limit? What's in the OIG cases where the clock ran out?

Bill to criminalize librarians lending ‘harmful materials’ to minors advances in House The Republican-backed SB 74 already passed the Senate.

Georgia lawmakers push big tax hike on mega-homebuyers, as Trump waffles on reining them in “Trump’s tweets and recent executive order have definitely helped my cause,” one Republican state representative said.

 City of Atlanta, Inspector General face more lawsuits over improper subpoenas Seven former city of Atlanta employees are suing the city.

Gold Dome bill tracker: 2026 legislation we’re watching Here’s a look at proposed governance, elections, and housing bills

Thousands of Atlanta students walked out to protest ICE, undeterred by disciplinary threats Cobb County and other school districts threatened disciplinary action.

Organizer on the inside: How Kelsea Bond’s activist moxie is shaking up City Hall Bond has applied grassroots labor organizing to municipal politics.

Kirkwood NPU rejects 47-microunit complex for elderly unhoused Atlantans The chorus of “no” votes doesn't mean the plan to build long-term housing for unhoused people is finished.

Over 200 Atlantans joined “ICE Out” protest in solidarity with Minneapolis The next day, Customs and Border Patrol agents killed another Minneapolis resident, Alex Pretti.

Starbucks union calls off picket lines for Atlanta, elsewhere as strike enters 3rd month As the national Starbucks strike enters its third month, unionized shops in Alpharetta and Roswell returned to work, along with several striking shops elsewhere, according to both Starbucks Workers United…

Pepsi drivers in Atlanta and Lithonia unionize with Teamsters Over 100 PepsiCo drivers at shops in Atlanta and Lithonia voted to unionize with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 528 this month. 

Federal judge tells HUD to renew homeless grants, delaying draconian overhaul “This basically gives us a one-year reprieve,” Partners for Home CEO Cathryn Vassell said.

Fulton reverses course, will fully fund services for 532 ex-homeless Atlantans A pressure campaign led by nonprofit leaders and public officials prompted the course correction.

What will Trump order to rein in Wall Street landlords mean for Georgia legislation? “My administration will take decisive action to stop Wall Street from treating America’s neighborhoods like a trading floor."

Avis airport workers, Teamsters rally for higher pay Teamsters joined unionized Avis airport workers to rally for higher pay on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, ahead of their upcoming contract negotiations. 

What Atlanta’s homeless services leaders want from Kemp’s $50M grant "Let's have the World Cup's legacy be providing housing and services that get and keep folks off the streets."

Q&A: Meet Akbar Ali, Georgia’s youngest state representative The young entrepreneur describes himself as a “practical progressive” and says he hopes to work across the aisle to address the housing and cost of living issues all Georgians face. 

Fulton shortchanges homeless services for Atlantans in FY26 budget proposal “On Dec. 10, at what we thought was a planning meeting for 2026, the county dropped a bomb on us."

New Atlanta City Council president walks back committee appointment snafu Overstreet’s 8-member committees violated city code, creating a quorum of the full council.

Federal funding delays cloud future of permanent supportive housing in Atlanta “This makes what is already a really challenging job more difficult and confusing.”

Atlanta City Council members find out committee appointments after City Hall inauguration Mayor Dickens, new Council President Overstreet signal priorities in inaugural speeches

After 2025, is there still reason to believe in democracy? It’s up to the people. It’s been a pretty dismal year for democracy, but people-driven change is both possible and on the upsurge.

Can metro Atlanta’s housing leaders parry federal funding cuts in 2026? A look at tools officials can use to counteract Trump administration cuts and keep people housed

Union Doings 2025 Wrap-Up: Peak-season Starbucks strike keeps perking  Two national strikes from Republic Services trash collectors and Starbucks baristas have dominated labor news in the second half of 2025 – and both affect metro Atlanta. After 99 days on the picket line, unionized Republic…

Aaron Baker launches bid to unseat state Rep. Esther Panitch in Sandy Springs Aaron Baker could become the first openly transgender person elected to the Georgia General Assembly if she defeats state Rep. Esther Panitch.

Federal upheaval jeopardizes $3.9B in homelessness grants, leaving cities scrambling HUD’s abrupt withdrawal of a funding notice leaves 844 Atlanta households in limbo.

One month into Starbucks strike, community support buoys Atlanta baristas Now 26 days in, the strike is SBWU’s longest-ever action, after sporadic one-day walkouts, to pressure Starbucks for a contract.

City unveils 100-unit complex for unhoused Atlantans, as Trump cuts loom The ribbon-cutting occurred under the shadow of Trump's cuts to supportive housing funds.

Atlanta City Council, school board candidates backed by mayor win runoffs — with one exception Mayor Andre Dickens’ favored candidates, bar one, prevailed on Tuesday in Atlanta’s runoff elections.

Atlanta City Council approves mayor’s scaled-back Housing Trust Fund restrictions “I feel like we’ve moved in the opposite direction of what this was intended to do,” Councilmember Alex Wan said.

It’s Runoff Election Day across Georgia. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for city of Atlanta voters. Use our Build Your Ballot tool for more info: atlantaciviccircle.org/elections-20...

Facing public scrutiny, city council punts TAD-extension bill to 2026 In a surprising reversal, Atlanta City Council today postponed an expected committee vote on legislation steered by the Mayor’s Office to extend the city’s eight tax allocation districts (TADs) to 2055. Bowing to pressure from a…

Atlanta IG’s new board holds first meeting, receives active cases amid uncertainty The board received binders containing dozens of open investigations into waste, fraud, and abuse that had been launched under Manigault and then Interim Inspector General LaDawn Blackett.

🗓️ Today's the last day to request an absentee ballot for the Dec. 2 runoff elections. Get your request in now: securemyabsenteeballot.sos.ga.gov/s/ Rather vote in person? Early voting is Nov. 22-26. #gapol

Also-ran Atlanta school board contenders flag key issues for runoff candidates Atlanta Civic Circle reached out to the school board contenders knocked out of the race for Districts 2, 6 and Seat 8, At-Large to ask who they’re endorsing and what issues the runoff candidates should champion for…

Atlanta’s unsheltered population could balloon as Trump cuts long-term housing funding “This is pretty much all bad,” Partners for Home CEO Cathryn Vassell said.

Atlanta housing trust fund fix advances to full-council vote — but mayor’s office pushes back CFO Mohamed Balla says the current setup maximizes the city’s ability to finance new housing.

Why are metro Atlanta Starbucks workers striking? Starbucks baristas at unionized stores in Alpharetta and Roswell walked off the job and shut down both stores for the coffee giant’s “Red Cup Day” launching its busy holiday season. The 44 local baristas joined over 1,000 striking Starbucks Workers…

Q&A: How will Atlanta use Microsoft’s 22-acre land gift to develop Grove Park? Atlanta Urban Development Corporation boss envisions 400 to 500 residential units.

Atlanta City Council runoffs: knocked-out District 7 and 11 challengers make endorsements Atlanta Civic Circle asked the candidates who didn’t make the runoffs if they are endorsing anyone – and what issue mattered most to them for the district.

Metro Atlanta Starbucks baristas to join national strike Thursday Unlike previous union actions, held for a single day, organizers say they are ready to hold out for weeks.