ATLANTA — The latest budget proposal for the City of Atlanta is aimed at heavy investment in the city’s neighborhoods, youth and public safety.
The latest budget proposal from Mayor Andre Dickens is nearly $1 billion, a 2% increase to the previous fiscal year’s budget.
According to the mayor’s office, it reflects his “north star: making Atlanta the best major city in the country to raise a child.”
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To make that happen, Dickens wants the 2027 fiscal budget to be $994.7 million, continuing the progress the city has made under Dickens’ leadership when it comes to investments in affordable housing, emergency response and youth violence prevention.
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“Atlanta is a group project. That has always been true, and it is especially true now as we build on the progress of the last four years and look ahead to the work still before us. Our north star remains clear: making Atlanta the best major city in the country to raise a child,” Dickens said in a statement. “Every dollar in this budget is used with care, purpose, and accountability — building on the foundation we’ve laid together to keep our momentum going for safe communities, strong families, thriving neighborhoods, and opportunity for all.”
The budget announcement from Dickens’ office lists five main areas the administration wants to commit to with the funding plan.
Those areas to continue supporting, as well as pushing forward, are:
- Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative: The budget supports the continued build-out of the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative, directing public and private investment toward housing, infrastructure, transit, community amenities and economic opportunity in historically underserved communities. The City Council-established Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative Commission continues its work, and this budget funds the planning, coordination and long-term framework needed to implement the initiative responsibly.
- Affordable Housing: Atlanta remains on track to build or preserve 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030. More than 13,000 units have already been built or are in process. This budget supports the partnerships and financing tools needed to expand access, protect affordability and meet the needs of families across the city.
- Public Safety: The budget continues investment in the Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Fire Rescue and E911 — including new vehicles, equipment upgrades, training programs and competitive compensation for first responders. The city says it has achieved double-digit reductions in violent crime over several years through its One Safe City strategy, and this budget includes technology upgrades to support faster response times, building on the success of the Public Safety Training Center.
- Youth Engagement: Atlanta’s young people remain a top priority, with continued support for Year of the Youth initiatives, At-Promise Centers, the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program (which employed nearly 6,000 young Atlantans last summer) and Midnight Basketball, now in its 10th season since 2022, the city said. These programs create safe spaces and prepare young Atlantans for success in school, work and life.
- Infrastructure: Strategic investments in roads, bridges, traffic systems, parks, public facilities, water systems and stormwater infrastructure will strengthen Atlanta as a City Built for the Future. With the Atlanta Regional Commission projecting regional growth of approximately 2.5 million people by 2050, the city said this budget ensures it is building the infrastructure capacity to meet that growth and support quality of life in every neighborhood.
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