Inside City Hall

SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPOSAL PUT ON HOLD FOR MORE STUDY

Atlanta city officials have, yet again, delayed action on short-term vacation rental regulations after hearing more public testimony during last week’s full council meeting.

Under the proposal, owners of rentals listed on platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO would have to obtain a city permit to operate. It also puts limits on how many singleand two-family vacation homes can operate within a certain distance of each other.

The council heard from residents frustrated with rising housing costs in their neighborhoods that they say are driven by the short-term rental industry, as well as from short-term rental owners who say the additional income keeps them afloat.

“It’s expensive to live here, so we got creative and did the short-term rental businesses,” said Johana Miller, a short-term rental owner who came to Atlanta to do nonprofit work with at-risk youth. “It has been a lifesaver. We are able to pursue our passion and support our family.”

Councilwoman Marci Collier Overstreet moved to table the proposal until the Zoning Committee and Community Development/ Human Services Committee can have a dual work session to rehash the details.

■■■ New police vehicles: The Atlanta City Council OK’D not only $500,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds to go toward housing incentives for public safety officers this week, but also signed off on a slew of new police vehicles to bolster the Atlanta Police Department.

The council signed off on more than $12.1 million for 100 new Dodge Chargers, 100 Dodge Durangos, three Chevy Tahoes and a GMC Yukon for the mayor’s security detail.

But Public Safety Committee Chair Dustin Hillis voiced concerns over the time it has taken to outfit existing vehicles due to the limited amount of vendors who perform the service.

Peter Aman, Atlanta Police Department chief administrative officer, said the department is looking nationally for vehicle outfitting vendors.

■■■ Council corner: The Atlanta City Council has several committee meetings this week. One item we’re interested in is an ordinance to amend the Bill of Rights of the City Charter to prohibit discrimination based on criminal history.

Atlanta’s charter currently prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, domestic relationship status, parental status, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, gender identity and racial profiling.

■■■ New single dropping: Earlier this month, Mayor Andre Dickens got heated at a closed-door forum with Atlanta HBCU students when he was heckled by an attendee calling him a “sell-out” due to city’s planned police training facility in Dekalb County.

A new beat dropped on Twitter created by opponents of the $90 million project, featuring Dickens’ comments. We have to admit, it’s catchy!

■■■ Get to know your City Council: We are starting a new section of our weekly Inside City Hall newsletter to get to know our Atlanta City Council on a more personal level. Each week, we will pester members with questions about things like their hobbies or favorite spots around the city.

Kicking off the fun is Post 1 At-large City Councilman Michael Julian Bond, who was asked: What is your go-to grub in your district?

Bond says he’s a regular at Roasters Rotisserie on Lenox Road, where he always orders a grilled chicken breast with rice, two sides of sautéed bell peppers and onions, a side of pico de gallo, soy sauce, and a side Caesar salad with tomatoes, bacon bits and side dressing.

“Now that’s not on the menu,” he warned. “So I take the grilled chicken breasts on the menu, and I doctor it up. It is absolutely delicious. And they have the best sweet tea in town.”