Dickens eyes regional growth, touts need for partnerships

Atlanta mayor says he sees his role expanding beyond city’s borders.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has seen a number of successes since he was elected three years ago, from a significant drop in homicide rates to the construction of thousands of new affordable housing units.

On Wednesday, the mayor said he hopes to “supercharge” the changes made to the city under his administration and explore opportunities for partnerships throughout the region. With Atlanta’s population continuing to increase and renowned events such as the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, Dickens says he sees the mayor’s role extending beyond Atlanta’s borders.

“I find myself bridging gaps and making sure that we are operating as a region,” he said. “Criminals don’t stop at jurisdictional borders, water and sewer infrastructure issues, transportation issues — none of that stops at a border.

“Yes, I’m in the middle of the (wheel) spoke as Atlanta’s mayor,” he said. “But we all are part of this ecosystem.”

His comments came during the Atlanta Press Club’s Newsmaker luncheon, where the mayor touted his accomplishments during his time in office and fielded questions from Atlanta’s public safety training center to the highly anticipated international soccer tournament.

Last month, Dickens chaired his first Atlanta Regional Commission meeting, after being nominated as the only mayor to hold the position giving a unique perspective on how to manage city and regional growth.

But with that growth comes increasing challenges for residents who can’t afford to live inside city limits or don’t have adequate access to transportation. Dickens’ administration spent much of last year working toward the lofty goal of creating or preserving 20,000 units of affordable housing by 2028.

“The goal is to make sure that people can live, work and play in Atlanta — the city is becoming a victim of its own success,” Dickens said Wednesday. “We’re growing so fast, and it’s becoming very difficult for people that are working class to be able to live in a city that they serve in.”

That means taking extra precautions when events such as the World Cup come to town that can be a significant disruption for residents. The mayor said he’s focused on working with the city’s businesses to plan and hold events starting in 2025.

“We don’t want the World Cup to be something that happens to Atlanta; we want it to be something that happens with Atlanta,” he said. So when they, you know, come to Atlanta’s World Cup events, it needs to feel like Atlanta — have small, medium and large businesses represented.

Atlanta’s reputation for hosting large events also highlights the need to make significant headway on the city’s homelessness issue. Atlanta leadership has recently poured millions in funds toward rapid rehousing and social services for Atlantans living on the streets.

“We do not want people to come into that homelessness care facility and stay there forever,” Dickens said, mentioning the increased need for job training opportunities. “We want people to get back to self sufficiency.”