Happy Monday! Lots to talk about this week so let’s dig right in.
First, a glad tiding: The Public Utilities Department’s low income assistance program, approved by the Mayor & Commission last November, has assisted in payments for 343 households for a total of $101,931 in aid in just two months! Many thanks to the Water Business Office and Public Utilities for helping guarantee access to clean water for all.
As I reflect on the amount of assistance with rent, utilities, and more that we as a community have provided in these two difficult years, one thing sticks in my mind: that a good paying job, and economic freedom, is the foundation of community resilience, security, and health.
According to the latest data gathered by 211, the poverty rate in East Athens is two and a half times the state average despite our unemployment rate being one of the state’s lowest. 95% of people are working-- but almost 50% are not making enough to live.
I’m hopeful that we can make use of American Rescue Plan funding to transform the economic conditions that have made things like utility assistance necessary. That starts by empowering workers at the bottom and raising our expectations for employers big and small.
Over the last two weeks, I have worked with Commissioners Myers, Denson and Houle on an American Rescue Plan (ARP) framework that zeroes in on high-poverty census tracts (search Georgia, then Clarke) and emphasizes “trickle-up,” worker-centered economic development, especially worker-owned cooperative development.
In a 2018 survey of employee-owned firms, worker-owners nearing retirement had on average $147,522 in retirement savings; in contrast, more than one third of all workers nearing retirement have no savings at all. As well, employee-owners of color have a 30 percent higher income than non-employee-owners of color, and women employee-owners earn 17 percent more than their non-employee-owner counterparts.
By continuing the good work of the Economic Justice Coalition and pushing for living wages and better conditions in our business community, I have faith we can create an economy of truly shared prosperity.
As well, this ARP framework includes $11 for affordable housing, $7 million for youth development and violence prevention (including the reopening of Housing Authority community centers, of key interest), and significant funding for behavioral health and homelessness. As community decision-making meetings on these issue areas roll out over the coming months, it’s also my hope that, with your help, we can aggressively pursue a combination of ARP + SPLOST 2020 funds for affordable housing in the district, where the housing crisis is particularly acute, by the end of the year.
On the housing crisis: the Mayor has recommended this moratorium, co-authored with Attorney Lisa Pappas, come to a vote in tandem with this year’s city budget, when we can approve additional funding for the Planning Department to staff up and work quickly on its call. This measure will allow us time to secure money for our area from the sources above, as well as (fingers crossed!) funding from Senator Warnock’s office, and to develop tailored zoning for District 2 that keeps alive the spirit of our neighborhoods. Stay tuned for a Town Hall date and time where we can dig into discussion.
I’m surely forgetting something, but for now, let me close with a few job postings I hope you’ll circulate. First are several openings with ACC Gov, including postings for Summer Counselors in Training for the young folk out there in search of a great-paying learning opportunity. Additionally, Advantage Behavioral Health is seeking applicants for clinical, EMT, and case management, and program management positions for our Alternative Response Teams, which are deployed to assist individuals in mental crisis. All are great opportunities to give back to the community.
It’s looking nice out, so I’m off for a walk. Don’t forget to stretch your legs today too!