Reporter's Notebook: Dekalb County passes 'Cottage Community ...

Laptops Donated to 100 at-risk youths to bridge the digital divide

Last week  110 former and current children in the state’s foster care system received laptops through a Christmas donation program for at-risk youth created by AT&T in partnership with Compudopt.

“We are committed to helping close the digital divide, and we are proud to support the  Fostering Success Act and youth from Georgia’s foster care system with the technology and resources  they need to thrive,” said Rich Johnson, assistant vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs at AT&T Georgia. “Through this collaboration, we are empowering young adults with the promise of  tomorrow and creating pathways of success for a bright future.”

At an event with a new non-profit Fostering Success Act, Inc., executives distributed the laptops to  young adults who recently aged out of the state’s foster care system and those who are still in foster  care. The laptops were funded by an AT&T donation to Compudopt and distributed by Fostering Success  Act, Inc.

Currently there are about 11,000 children in state foster care, and each year more than 700 children age  out of Georgia’s foster care system with little support, no job skills or education prospects. The Fostering  Success Act, Inc. launched this year to assist these high-risk youth who age out of state care so they can  acquire technical skills or attend college – and obtain resources they need such as computers,  transportation, room and board.

— Derek Prall

Fort Mac LRA moves forward on deal with T.D. Jakes

The Fort Mac Local Redevelopment Authority approved leasing space to the Fort Mac Village, part of T.D. Jakes Real Estate Ventures (TDJREV) at a not well-publicized board meeting held on Tuesday, Dec. 19.

No member of the press attended the meeting, according to David Burt, executive director of the authority.

In a press release, Fort Mac officials called it a “significant milestone in the city’s revitalization efforts.” It went on to say that the board’s decision paves the way for a groundbreaking collaboration between Fort Mac LRA and TDJREV.

“I’m excited that the Tyler Perry Studios and T.D. Jakes Real Estate Ventures teams are coming forward to show us what it’s going to look like,” said board member Ernestine Garey in the release. “It’s going to be transformative.”

The press release did not disclose any of the details of the board’s action. In a phone call Thursday, Burt said the T.D. Jakes’ plans are already being reviewed in city permitting.

“It’s all been really done,” Burt said about actions needed to be taken by the Fort Mac LRA.

Fort Mac, which consisted of 488 acres, served as an Army base from 1867 to 2011, when it was closed. The authority initially sold 330 acres to Tyler Perry for $30 million in 2015. He recently acquired another 37 acres. T.D. Jakes purchased 96 acres, most of the remaining property that used to be the Army base in 2021.

T.D. Jakes was in Atlanta for the HOPE Global Forums when he said he was working with the city to get the necessary permits. Jakes added that he would be returning to Atlanta early in 2024 when he would be willing to talk about the plans.

Marcia Fudge, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, also attended the HOPE Global Forum. After her session with Operation HOPE CEO John Hope Bryant, she said she had spoken with Jakes and Mayor Andre Dickens.

“I believe a plan is coming together,” she said. “Housing is getting ready to just boom here in Atlanta.”

— Maria Saporta

‘Cottage Community’ ordinance passed in DeKalb County

Dekalb County recently passed the Cottage Court Ordinance, which amends the existing DeKalb County zoning to allow for smaller homes to be built on smaller lots, sustainably increasing affordable housing stock.

A Dekalb County Housing Affordability study recently revealed that 35 percent of DeKalb County households have a housing affordability burden, paying more than 30 percent of their income for their housing. This same study highlights the steady decline of affordable rental housing units in DeKalb county from 2000 to 2019, with the share of affordable rental units declining most significantly, from 54 percent to 34 percent for very low income households.

“Building cottage homes is a critical component of addressing the nationwide housing crisis,” said Commissioner Terry, who spearheaded the legislation. “Not only are we able to provide developers with another, cheaper option other than single-family, detached residential construction on single lots, but cottage homes require less energy and are more sustainable.”

— Derek Prall

Roz Brewer declares her love for Atlanta and Spelman

Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, a former top executive of Walgreens, was the featured guest at the Transform Westside Summit on Dec. 15.

“Going to Spelman was the best decision I made in my life,” said Brewer, who became a trustee of Spelman College in 2006 after being invited by then-President Beverly Tatum. “I was chair of the board for 12 years, and Spelman has been the No. 1 HBCU for 17 years.”

When she retired as Spelman’s chair, Brewer admitted that she “cried like a baby.” Even though her career took her all over the country, Brewer kept her ties to Atlanta.

“I never fully removed myself from Atlanta,” Brewer said, calling Atlanta “a very unique place.”

Now that she has retired, Brewer plans to become more involved in the community. Brewer also continues to serve on the board of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

— Maria Saporta

Chamblee PD receives grant from Governor’s Office of Highway Safety

On Tuesday, the Chamblee Police Department announced a High Visibility Grant worth over $64,000 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to create a change in unlawful traffic behaviors and promote voluntary compliance with the law. 

The funds will go to purchase equipment to help officers conduct speed enforcement, occupant seat belts, DUI prevention and aggressive driving. 

The grant will also reimburse the city for hours worked by the Chamblee Special Operations Unit. 

“We are grateful to GOHS and NHTSA for this funding that will prevent roadway fatalities and save lives,” said Michael Dieppa, Chief of Chamblee Police Department. “Their support ensures that our offices are equipped to protect and serve our community.”

— Allison Joyner

Olympic gold medalist Dominique Dawes visits Atlanta Rotary

Thanks to a special friendship with Atlanta leader Bob Hope, Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes was the featured speaker at the Rotary Club of Atlanta Rotarian-Daughter Day on Dec. 18.

Hope first met Dawes when she was competing in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, and they have stayed friends ever since, working to protect Title 9 and women’s access to sports.

In fact, the Atlanta Games had 1000 more women athletes than any previous Olympics. “It had the most women Olympic athletes before or since,” said Hope, who brought one of his daughters, Clair Wallace, to the lunch meeting.

Dawes was one of the bright stars of the Atlanta Games, but Dawes expressed how there had been such pressure to perform that she really wasn’t able to enjoy her achievements because of “bumps in the road” that she experienced.

“I never had a great amount of confidence in myself,” said Dawes, who retired after the 2000 Olympics. “The culture in the sports of gymnastics was pretty hard back then.”

Dawes now has two locations of her Gymnastics Academy in Maryland, where she lives with her husband and four children.

When Hope invited her to speak to Rotary, he said, “She paid her own way to come to Atlanta.”

— Maria Saporta

CAU becomes first HBCU to launch student chapter motion picture society

Earlier this month, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) became the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to launch a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) Student Chapter. 

This new chapter will give students the opportunity to learn about the latest in the film and television industry. 

“A SMPTE Student Chapter at CAU will create fantastic possibilities for student and faculty development. In building relationships with SMPTE and reaching this historic milestone, I believe we’ll also open up opportunities for other HBCUs,” said Dr. Brian Bentley, assistant professor and associate dean of arts and sciences at CAU.

The SMPTE is a global society of media professionals, technologists, and engineers working in the digital entertainment industry and is internationally recognized for providing a vital technical framework of engineering standards and guidelines that allow seamless creation, management and delivery of media for art, entertainment and education worldwide. 

“The Society is dedicated to creating pathways into the industry for a diverse workforce, and synergistic collaboration through the launch of the SMPTE Student Chapter is an exciting element that works,” said Michele Wright, Director of Business Development for SMPTE.

— Allison Joyner

Mayors Ball raises $4 million for UNCF

 Mayor Andre Dickens giving remarks during the 40th annual Mayor’s Masked Ball. (Image provided by City of Atlanta.)

The 40th annual Mayor’s Masked Ball raised nearly $4 million for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), with additional contributions continuing to come in.

“It is undeniable that the UNCF changes lives. That is part of what we set out to do when we made 2023 our Year of the Youth,” said Mayor Andre Dickens, host of this year’s ball. 

Each year, the UNCF enables almost 50,000 students to attend its 37-member Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing scholarships and internships, providing operating funds for its member schools, and serving as a national advocate for the importance of HBCUs, minority education, and college readiness. 

“[The ball] was a true testament to the power of unity and philanthropy — a night where success took center stage as the community came together to support Black higher education and empower the next generation,” said Justine Boyd, Assistant Vice President for UNCF. “The event is a celebration of generosity, compassion and the unwavering commitment to creating a brighter future for all.”

Four of UNCF’s member schools reside in Atlanta: Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College. 

— Allison Joyner

Kaiser Permanente provides $400,000 to address ongoing needs of homeless Georgians

Kaiser Permanente recently provided $400,000 in community grants to two metro Atlanta organizations whose work focuses on addressing homelessness in their communities. The grant funding is part of Kaiser Permanente’s ongoing commitment to end homelessness and preserve affordable housing by making strategic grants, shaping policy, and catalyzing innovative partnerships.

The metro Atlanta organizations that Kaiser Permanente will help fund are the United Way of Greater Atlanta ($250,000), and St. Joseph’s Mercy Care Services ($150,000).

“The support from Kaiser Permanente allows the Motel to Home program to have greater impact on the social determinants of health for families. Over 100 additional families will move from extended stays in hotels into their own apartments. Children will have space to learn, and families will have kitchens to prepare meals,” said Protip Biswas, senior vice president of economic stability with United Way of Greater Atlanta. “With this support it will help us complete the ambitious goal of finding housing for 1000 families in the past year. We are grateful to Kaiser Permanente for their generous investment in innovative and effective approaches to help families.”

— Derek Prall