Inside City Hall

Ex-council member’s use of City Hall to film campaign video a no-no; Council OKs $3M donation

The City of Atlanta ethics office sent a “cease and desist” letter for former City Council member Keisha Sean Waites after receiving a complaint that she used City Hall to film campaign content.

In a letter to Waites dated March 18, Ethics Officer Jabu Sengova said her office was notified that “a campaign video was created using the City Council chambers, (Waite’s) city office, and other parts of City Hall that are not available for public use” before she resigned on March 4.

The letter said the video included images of the city’s seal.

“We would respectfully request that you cease and desist immediately from using all city property, including the city seal, for your campaign,” the letter says.

Sengova wrote that Atlanta’s code of ethics prohibits the “use of city property for private advantage” during political campaigns — this applies to local, state and federal-level elections.

Waits has not responded to a request for comment.

Waites’ resignation left a crucial opening on Atlanta City Council: a citywide position that only two other members hold. Last week, council engaged in a heated debate over the special election timeline to fill the vacant seat.

Legislation calling for a special election on the November general election ballot, with a qualifying period from June 25-27.

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City Council approved a $3 million donation to Partners for Home to go toward rapid rehousing of Atlantan’s experiencing homelessness. The organization is working toward building 500 units of “quick delivery” housing — like the new shipping container community downtown — as part of the mayor’s affordable housing goals.

The $3 million OK’d by City Council last week is the most recent installment of funds to the initiative after the city has already invested more than $14 million in rapid housing since last August.

Cathryn Vassell, CEO of Partners for Home, told council members earlier this month that while permanent housing is the end goal, temporary housing must be a focus in the short-term.

“We’re waiting on construction timelines,” she said. “In the meantime, homelessness is a crisis in front of us right now.”

The organization is working toward creating 500 rapid housing units by the end of 2025 by utilizing solutions like publicly owned land or alternative builds like shipping containers or other forms of tiny homes.

Vassell said the shipping container community downtown, called The Melody, is now at full capacity with 39 residents.

Got tips, tricks or just want to say hello? Email me at riley.bunch@ajc.com.

AJC FILE 2021 The city of Atlanta’s ethics office sent a “cease and desist” letter to former City Council member Keisha Sean Waites after receiving a complaint that she used City Hall (above) to film campaign content.