Atlanta, GA

Atlanta, DeKalb pushing to shelter, support those chronically homeless ahead of Christmas

Published

1 year ago

December 3, 2024

Atlanta, DeKalb pushing to shelter, support those chronically homeless ahead of Christmas

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – On Tuesday, the City of Atlanta opened its newest housing complex for those chronically homeless.

The 23-unit apartment building along Bonaventure Avenue NE in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta is geared toward those sleeping on the street or under bridges to find immediate shelter.

“This is quick-delivery rapid housing of quality, and we’re trying to (open for tenants) by Christmas because it’s so cold outside,” said Mayor Andre Dickens, after a ribbon-cutting ceremony with city housing leaders.

The complex is the latest in a push by the Dickens Administration to secure 500 units of housing by the end of 2025 for those experiencing homelessness.

Dickens also has a goal of building or preserving 20,000 units of affordable housing by 2030.

On Tuesday, he confirmed the city is over the halfway mark in this goal.

“I’m a goal-oriented person, and I use partnerships well. We’re going to get to our 20,000 units,” Dickens said on Tuesday.

He charged other regional leaders to help the city in this effort.

“We actually end up housing people that are not always from the city. So we want to make sure that regionally, across north Georgia, that you all do as we are doing,” said Dickens.

On Tuesday, DeKalb County announced a $13 million investment to reduce homelessness and prevent evictions.

“People are desperate, inflation is making it extremely difficulty for working people to keep food on the table or to pay their rent,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond.

The $13 million will be divided between nine different nonprofit organizations serving DeKalb County.

The participating nonprofit agencies and their services are listed below:

Assistance for rent, utilities, housing instability, unsafe, unhealthy living conditions:

New Life Community Ministries, $2.8 million
Urban League of Greater Atlanta, $2.8 million
Latin American Association, $2.3 million
New American Pathways, $1 million
Jewish Family Career Services of Atlanta, $1 million
Africa’s Children Fund, $1 million
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, $1 million

Housing stability services (legal services related to evictions):

Atlanta Legal Aid Society, $600,000
DeKalb Pro Bono, $200,000

To apply, residents can contact the DeKalb Integrated Community Care Initiative hotline at 404-371-NEED (6333) for program guidance.

“Thirteen million is a big number, but really, if you compare it to the challenge we face, it’s relatively small. But we’re just happy, actually blessed, to be able to stand in the gap not just on this very cold day, but on cold days that will be coming throughout this winter,” said Thurmond.

Atlanta housing leaders said they plan on opening three additional rapid housing complexes in the city by the end of 2024.

“When you see these ribbon cuttings of the 23, 35, 65 [units], they add up,” said Dickens.

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Atlanta, GA

2 Dead In Fiery Crash On Interstate 75 In Atlanta

Published

8 hours ago

December 13, 2025

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2 Dead In Fiery Crash On Interstate 75 In Atlanta

ATLANTA, GA — Two people are dead following a fiery crash on Interstate 75 in Atlanta, according to police.

The crash occurred shortly before 3:15 a.m. Saturday on southbound I-75 near Cleveland Avenue Southwest. According to police, a Kia Sportage was traveling on I-75 when the driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to exit at Cleveland Avenue.

Police said the vehicle left the roadway, hit a pole and subsequently caught fire.

Two unidentified occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators with the Atlanta Police Department Accident Investigations Unit responded to the scene to determine what led to the crash. The investigation into the collision is ongoing.

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Atlanta, GA

Atlanta chef charged after shooting 2 suspected teen porch pirates outside his home

Published

20 hours ago

December 13, 2025

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Atlanta chef charged after shooting 2 suspected teen porch pirates outside his home

An Atlanta chef allegedly shot two teenagers who were suspected of trying to steal packages outside his home in broad daylight.

Rakim Bradford was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony after he opened fire on the boys, ages 15 and 16, at his townhouse in the Mays neighborhood, southwest of Downtown Atlanta, on Thursday around 3:40 p.m.

Bradford, the head chef at an area IHOP, according to his LinkedIn, was at his home on the 700 block of Celeste Lane SW when he noticed the teens near his front porch, Atlanta Police said.

Officials believe the teens had traveled to the Villages of Cascade complex, where they spotted a delivery van and followed it, according to Atlanta News First, citing Bradford’s arrest warrant.

“After the packages were dropped, they agreed to steal that package from the front of the residence,” the warrant stated.

Bradford caught the teens going for the packages and allegedly shot the pair before they could steal the delivery.

“We believe a property crime was occurring, that some packages were being taken off a front porch, which is common this time of year,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters. “The homeowner did discharge his weapon to stop that theft of packages.”

The unidentified 15-year-old was found with a gunshot wound to the right foot. Officers later found the 16-year-old suffering from a gunshot to the right arm.

He was transported to the hospital in critical condition before undergoing surgery. The teen is expected to survive.

“The Atlanta Police Department takes gun violence very seriously,” Schierbaum said. “Anytime a child is injured in our city, we really take that really seriously. We want to make sure they know what’s happening.”

Bradford was detained after the shooting and brought in for questioning.

Officials ruled out a home invasion and didn’t announce any charges against the two teens.

Neighbors warned potential porch pirates of stealing packages from other homes.

“Don’t go and steal people’s packages,” Andrew Julian told the outlet. “On the other side of that, what right do you have to defend your own home, and then what decision do you make to defend your own home based on somebody taking an item off of your porch? So, it’s certainly a conversation to be had.”

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Atlanta, GA

Want a rental for the World Cup in Atlanta? Demand up as much as 4000%

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

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Want a rental for the World Cup in Atlanta? Demand up as much as 4000%

Are you trying to find a short-term rental in Atlanta for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on match day?

The players on the field won’t be the only ones facing fierce competition.

In the days since the announcement of the group stage match-ups last week, demand for short term rentals in Atlanta has skyrocketed, reaching nearly a 5000% increase in some neighborhoods.

In a report published by AirDNA — a vacation rental analysis group that uses data from companies like Aibnb, VRBO and rental partners — researchers compared searches for short-term rentals in Atlanta in June and July 2025 to searches for the coming year during the same time period.

Here is what they found.

These Atlanta neighborhoods have highest demand

AirDNA found that in the city of Atlanta, the year-over-year change in demand for short term rentals for the dates of the group stage games increased 286% overall, as of Dec. 10.

For the round of 32 date, demand went up 351% from 2025 to 2026. During the round of 16, the demand was up 284%. The semi-final match led to an increase in demand of 213%.

For specific neighborhoods, the year-over-year increase in nightly demand for rentals was astronomical.

Here are the top 10:

Chosewood Park — 4450%
Buckhead — 2400%
Atlanta University Center/ Vine City — 1911%
Cabbagetown — 1833%
Edgewood — 1638%
Ben Hill — 1200%
Bankhead — 1141%
Grant Park — 1044%
Downtown Atlanta — 1034%
North Druid Hills — 900%

More than 30 other neighborhoods and cities in the greater Atlanta metro area saw increases in nightly demand by more than 200%.

Only six areas — Doraville, Brookhaven/North Buckhead, Douglasville, Powder Springs, Vinnings and Chamblee — saw a decrease in nightly demand for match days compared to 2025.

Rentals for night before also in high demand

When AirDNA compared demand for the night before a match versus the night after, the demand was similar if not higher in some cases.

The demand for rentals on June 14, the day before the first group stage match, is the same for demand on June 15 when the match is actually played, the data shows.

On June 20, however, demand for a rental in Atlanta overall is higher than on June 21, the day of the third group stage match.

Overall demand in Atlanta stays high once the World Cup begins, with some slower breaks in between the later tournament matches.

Can I still get World Cup tickets for Atlanta matches?

The Random Selection Draw period is on now for specific match tickets. Spectators hoping to see a specific match can request to enter the drawing through the FIFA ticketing website.

Tickets are also available for some of the more elaborate World Cup experiences, as well as through packages from Qatar Airlines. Tickets will open for resale on Dec. 15.

Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.

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