ATLANTA — A year and a half after Atlanta passed a “blight tax” in August 2024 to tackle neglected properties, a new city audit has found that not a single dollar has been collected.
Channel 2 Action News reported about the tax, adopted by the city in August 2024, was designed to pressure property owners by offering them a carrot and a stick.
If owners of vacant and blighted properties addressed the blight, they would get a tax break. If those owners did not fix the problem, they would have a tax rate 25 times higher.
However, according to the audit, the city has yet to penalize any property owners or collect any revenue from the policy.
In neighborhoods like the Old Fourth Ward, frustration continues to mount. Residents say abandoned homes remain untouched, despite the promise that the blight tax would spur action.
“You see arson, you see crime, you see vandalism,” Ben Richardson, who lives near one such property, told Channel 2’s Michael Doudna. “It’s really been a dark spot on our neighborhood.”
A February audit detailed the problems: “Although the blighted property legislation, Ordinance 24-O-1370, was passed in August 2024, city officials have not yet formalized the program, and no actions have been taken against any blighted properties under the ordinance.”
The city has identified some properties for blight consideration; however, the intake and identification process to assess whether properties are blighted has not been fully developed.
The audit found that the lead role named in the ordinance has not been assigned and that the city had not yet created a formal program to implement it.
“At its heart, it’s discouraging,” said Councilman Matt Westmoreland.
Councilman Byron Amos added, “Of course, I wish we had moved faster.”
Amos says the city may need to make some adjustments to the legislation to make implementation easier. He said he was confident that the legislation would be implemented as intended.
“We do need to get these properties in line, but we need everyone on board to help us,” Amos said.
The audit did contrast Atlanta’s progress with that of nearby Forest Park, which implemented a similar blight tax at the same time and has already designated 90 properties as blighted.
Councilman Westmoreland says if Atlanta can follow Forest Park’s path, the program can work.
“There is success in our future if we can just get moving,” he said.
Those who live near blighted homes expressed frustration with the process and hope changes are coming soon.
“I hope they can collect that tax, get these properties fixed up, and I hope we can welcome new neighbors,” Richardson said.
“One of the things that I am asking my constituents to do is to give us the only thing that they’re running out of, and that is patience,” Amos said.
The mayor’s office did not respond to questions about the delay or when a leader will be appointed to oversee the blight tax program.
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