Now that the first part of the 2019-2020 Georgia Legislative Session has ended, here’s a rundown of a few things that did and did not pass.
Georgia Legislature Again Tries to Claim Land in Tennessee
Here’s Why All New Apartment Buildings Look the Same
Weekly Links: the long story of building codes, fires, wood-based construction, Texas Doughnuts, superblocks, and the other oddities that created the uniform look of apartment buildings. And, a denial of a rezoning request has led to a landfill fire in South Fulton that’s been burning for 5 months.
The Georgia Legislature is About to Pass Some Bills Again
It’s that time again: the Georgia Legislature has once again convened to debate new laws. So far the legislature has proposed mandatory cybersecurity training for kids, guns in parks (no fireworks, though), and an expansion of
Tim Keane Has Had It With Poorly Designed Buildings
Weekly Links: Atlanta Planning Commissioner Tim Keane is taking a real hard look at your building design proposal and it better not be bad. Also, should we try a cap-and-trade system for affordable housing? No. And, a hyper loop prototype is finally unveiled.
Selling Our Souls (and Train Cars) to Amazon
Weekly Links: Our incentives to lure the company included Amazon-only MARTA rail cars and renaming streets after Amazon products. Plus:
1.) Atlanta plans to combat minimum parking requirements, something that should unite the left and right; and
2.) How NIMBYism and anti-density movements are eerily similar to voter suppression efforts.
Atlanta’s Livability Score Plummets Due to Riots
This week, a global livability study says Atlanta fell in the rankings due to riots. Ah…okay. Also, as part of the ongoing Amazon charade, Atlanta will apparently offer the company $1 billion in incentives to locate their HQ2 campus in the downtown gulch. And Atlanta officials are finally treating public signs like works of art that actually try to inform people of rules.
Ignore the Data on Gentrification
As the Economist recently showed, gentrification is about more than just the economics of shuffling people around housing units. Unfortunately, it was the magazine’s complete disinterest in addressing the complexities of the issue that proved the point.
Housing Crisis? What Housing Crisis?
This week, amid a nationwide housing crisis, HUD proposes cuts to housing subsidies for the poor, elderly, and disabled. Also, Roanoke incorporates beer into their official marketing and economic strategy, MARTA released its list of proposed transit projects, and California will require solar panels on all new homes.
