In Review: Andre Dickens’ First Year As Mayor
On January 3, 2022, Andre Dickens was sworn in as the 61st Mayor of Atlanta. He took office with a robust agenda, promising affordable housing, crime reduction, and improved transportation. Faced with the stress of the ongoing pandemic, growing corruption of local officials, and rising unease among communities, many residents hoped Dickens represented a new era of leadership in City Hall.
Already seasoned in Atlanta politics, Dickens cited evidence from his two terms on Atlanta City Council to present himself as a dedicated servant of public office during his campaign. Before his time as a councilman, he worked to expand access to technology, serving as the Chief Development Officer of TechBridge and founding the Technology Career Program which teaches technological skills to disadvantaged workers. As a graduate of Atlanta Public Schools and the Georgia Institute of Technology, he emphasized his commitment to strengthening public education. In a highly competitive election cycle, he bested a field of fourteen primary candidates and won a close runoff against Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore to secure the position.
As his first year in office came to a close, Dickens’ office cited success on multiple fronts– public safety, jobs, and infrastructure. On February 1, the Mayor’s Office published the 2022 Annual Report titled “Moving Atlanta Forward Together” which underlines four initiatives in which the administration concentrated its efforts. First, Dickens proclaimed that Atlanta should be “A City of Opportunity for All,” where young people and vulnerable groups are supported, not isolated. Next, he implemented his “OneSafeCity” plan to address the root causes of crime. The mayor further highlighted investments in transportation networks. Finally, he re-emphasized the importance of building trust in city government through increasing transparency and accountability for public administrators.
The report offers many promising possibilities for the city. However, the extent to which such measures have been successful remains unclear as many Atlantans are yet to feel their effects. Therefore, it is important to understand what other factors and barriers exist that keep the city from feeling the full force of the new administration. Such results are illuminated through a few key issues:
Housing
During his campaign, Mayor Dickens’ named the creation of affordable housing as a goal of utmost importance. One key element of his plan included a proposal to build 20,000 low-income housing units within the eight years following his inauguration, all while not displacing existing communities. By the end of 2022, his office had built 1,800 new residential spaces with another 4,000 currently in progress. Such work has been strengthened by his Housing Strike Force established in May 2022 which allocated $58 million for housing production, homelessness reduction, and eviction prevention. The project sought to unite various agencies including the Atlanta Public Schools, MARTA, and the Metro Atlanta Land Bank to formulate a comprehensive housing plan built on pre-existing resources and efforts. Dickens also appointed three new members to the Atlanta Housing Board of Commissioners shortly after establishing a task force to oversee the creation of citywide low-income housing, though Dickens has not released specific details about its initiatives. The Mayor’s office continues to face hurdles such as zoning issues, high property taxes, and the continuous influx of people moving into Atlanta and pricing residents out of their neighborhoods. Nevertheless, the mayor’s programs have the potential to significantly increase affordable and accessible housing if the issue remains a top priority.
Crime
During the previous administration, citywide violent crime levels steadily rose. In 2021, murder rates rose by 14% percent since 2020, and 60% since 2019. These statistics, combined with rising gun violence across the country, made crime an integral issue in the 2021 election. Dickens campaigned on a comprehensive crime-reduction plan entitled S.A.F.E. Streets Atlanta, which consists of four objectives: hire 250 new police officers, arrest suspected gang leaders, create task forces to address gun smuggling and mental health, and empower community policing. The agenda also consisted of an organizational overhaul of the policing administration. In October 2022, Dickens appointed Darin Schierbaum as the Atlanta Chief of Police, citing his ability to build trust between communities and law enforcement. Furthermore, he expanded on an initiative of installing 10,000 street lamps called “Light up the Night” which was established by his predecessor, Keisha Lance Bottoms. In the 2022 Annual Report, Mayor Dickens’ office claimed that minor crimes against people decreased by seven percent from when he took office in January. The report also states that the Atlanta Police Department hired 212 officers and confiscated 2,958 firearms. However, such efforts have not been particularly effective against preventing more serious crimes. Homicide rates in 2022 doubled from 2019 rates.
Infrastructure
Throughout 2022, Mayor Dickens emphasized that “investing in infrastructure is essential for fostering economic growth and improving Atlanta’s competitiveness on the world stage.” In October, he announced the rollout of his $750 million dollar Moving Atlanta Forward Infrastructure Package, which included investments in three major sectors: public safety facilities, transportation, and parks. Lofty citywide sustainability goals accompany these projects. Dickens vowed to implement an environmental policy that would achieve a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2035. While the Dickens Administration has made significant progress, it must continue to work to meet its lofty aspirations. The 2022 Annual Report declared that the city filled over 10,000 potholes, acquired almost 300 acres of park land, and reduced its carbon footprint by 2,000 tons within the year. Dickens’ Moving Atlanta Forward project is optimistic, however his environmental targets will require a long term commitment to be effective.
Looking to the Future
Along with continuing to implement his original campaign promises, Mayor Dickens faces two key issues for 2023. Residents of Buckhead, one of the city’s wealthiest and largest communities, have continuously lobbied the city government for permission to become an independent city. Opponents to the secession argue, however, that it is an elitist move, pressuring Mayor Dickens to resist such efforts. These tensions have only been exacerbated by rising economic disparities between the neighborhood and the rest of the city. Dickens will have to work to unite Atlantans as this conflict builds and Buckhead residents increasingly advocate for cityhood. Finally, activists criticized Mayor Dickens over the recent approval of an 85-acre law enforcement training facility in south Atlanta. Outrage over its implementation resulted in citywide protests, many of which turned violent. In January, a protester was shot and killed by police during a demonstration on the site of the complex. Underlining this controversy are broader issues like racial tensions and police violence that he must address in order to reconcile with to mitigate growing unrest.
During his first year as mayor, Andre Dickens implemented many of his original campaign promises. His job in 2023 is to ensure that the rollout of these projects continues. It remains to be seen whether Dickens will be able to overcome various barriers to affordable housing, increasing homicide rates, and resistance to lofty climate targets.