Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens , Partners for HOME CEO Cathryn Vassell, Georgia State University President Dr. M. Brian Blake, Frank Fernandez of Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, and members of the Atlanta City Council gathered on the corner of Peachtree Street near Woodruff Park for the special announcement.
The park, a regular stop for the city’s homeless and unhoused alike, was surrounded by Atlanta Police and people in suits and casual dress. New York City native and Atlanta resident Demetrius Overton wondered if it all meant anything.
“You don’t see a lot of these people around here any other time,” Overton, 38, said. “They preach that good song, but does anyone hear it.”
The Mayor was the first to speak and announced a major investment in the effort to combat what remains a major issue in Atlanta: homelessness. A public-private investment of $150 million will build hundreds of units for the city’s homeless.