Several major items on Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ legislative agenda were approved during Atlanta City Council’s Tuesday meeting.

Items passed focus on public safety, affordable housing, and LGBTQ affairs:

Public Safety: As the City implements the recommendations from the Anti-Violence Advisory Council, an ordinance to establish the Mayor’s Office of Violence Reduction (MOVR) was approved. The MOVR will collaborate with the City’s senior leadership and advisory board members to address the increase in violent crime through gun violence reduction, prevention, and community-based intervention.

In May of 2021, Mayor Bottoms convened the Anti-Violence Advisory Council, a group comprised of key community members and partners, to review the existing actions and plans related to addressing violent crimes and develop immediate and long-term recommendations. The creation of the Mayor’s Office of Violence Reduction was included in the council’s recommendations.

Affordable Housing: The Mayor’s executive order authorizing an emergency procurement agreement with the United Way of Greater Atlanta was approved by City Council. The agreement not exceed approximately $1.57 million will administer support to low-income households through the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program. The HOPWA assistance includes short-term rental mortgage and utility assistance, permanent housing placement, facility-based housing, and housing information services strategies.

LGBTQ Cultural Humility Training: To continue fostering a safe and inclusive workplace culture, an ordinance requiring all City of Atlanta employees to undergo LGBTQ cultural humility training moved forward. The Department of Human Resources will be responsible for maintaining and implementing the required annual training. With a growing number of Americans identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ), the training intends to introduce policies and procedures that will educate employees about pronoun usage and increase knowledge on important topics relating to the LGBTQ+ community.