The Atlanta City Council approved legislation at its Feb. 3 meeting to create a homelessness task force and to pause the use of heavy machinery during sweeps of encampments.
The measures come in the wake of the Jan. 16 death of Cornelius Taylor who was crushed in his tent by a city vehicle as it cleared an encampment on Old Wheat Road.
The funeral for Taylor was also held on Feb. 3 at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Following the funeral, a horse-drawn carriage carried his coffin to city hall as a call to action for city leaders to make systemic change in its policies addressing unsheltered people.
The resolution to temporarily halt the use of encampment sweep is in effect for 45 days. The resolution also mandates Partners for HOME, the city’s designated partner to coordinate homelessness services, to present a detailed report to the city council, within 45 days on the proposed procedures, precautions, and contingencies necessary to ensure encampment sweeps are safe.
The homelessness task force resolution, backed by Mayor Andre Dickens, will review existing policies and procedures followed by city departments and partners when addressing unhoused residents.
“The homelessness task force shall work to make recommendations concerning whether these policies and procedures adequately address the current needs of persons experiencing homelessness, and the public safety concerns of residents and visitors to the city of Atlanta,” the resolution states.
The task force will meet publicly every two weeks and make an initial report of recommendations to the mayor and the Atlanta City Council within 45 days. A final report is to be completed within 90 days.
Organizations to be represented on the task force:
• The Atlanta City Council
• City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office
• Atlanta Police Department
• City of Atlanta Department of Public Works
• Georgia Department of Community Affairs
• Georgia State University
• Fulton County
• Invest Atlanta
• Atlanta Housing
• Central Atlanta Progress
• Atlanta Downtown Improvement District
• Atlanta Committee for Progress
• Partners for HOME
• Gateway Center
• Intown Cares
• Safe House
• Hope Atlanta
• Housing Justice League
• Restoring One’s Hope of Atlanta
• Georgia Works
• Beautiful Closet
• Church of the Common Ground
• Antioch Urban Ministries
• Antioch Baptist Church North
• Central Outreach and Advocacy Center
• Traveling Grace Ministries
• Wheat Street Baptist Church
• Ebenezer Baptist Church
• Salvation Army
• Mercy Care
• Atlanta Dream Center
• Hosea Helps
• U-First