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The coronavirus pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on the real estate market. Due to lockdowns, social distancing, and a depressed economy, home sales dropped greatly in the US during…

Young or old, we’ve all thought about retirement. Some of us dread the idea, while others cannot wait to live out their best years. No matter how we feel about…

Calgary Real Estate Market Forecast

Calgary Housing Market and Update The Corona Virus has taken a big toll on the Calgary Housing Market, but the forecast is for better sales with a moderate price growth. The current recession has obliterated previously carefully crafted forecasts on the Calgary real estate market and the economy in Calgary and Edmonton. But if we…

Interim Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant held a press conference on June 20 to address concerns about an officer sickout – or “blue flu – in protest of the charges brought against officers in the Rayshard Brooks case.

Social media began circulating reports on June 18 that officers had staged a walkout after Fulton District Attorney Paul Howard brought murder and aggravated assault charges against the two officers involved in the June 12 shooting and killing of Brooks during a DUI arrest at the Wendy’s on University Avenue.

“It is factual that over the past few days we’ve seen a higher than average number of officers call in sick, which caused us to shift resources to insure proper coverage,” Bryant said.

He said officers were questioning their training, felt challenged and attacked, and unease about colleagues being criminally charged so quickly. However, he reassured the public and offered a warning to criminals.

“If you call 911, a police officer will respond,” Bryant said. “We haven’t given up on the city that we love and we ask that you not give up on us. But I want it to be clear, we will not tolerate lawlessness and injustice in this city.”

Bryant said he will stand up teams within APD’s office of professional standards to investigate “complex complaints” and begin reviewing its training program to expand sections on de-escalation, implicit bias, and peer intervention.

“We are not a perfect department and are always working toward improvement. We are not an department for flagrant abuse, hate or injustice,” Bryant said. “We encourage due process for those we encounter and for ourselves.”

Bryant stepped into the role of chief just over a week ago after Chief Erika Shields stepped aside in the wake of the shooting and killing of Brooks.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN last week that morale at APD was low, while the Atlanta Police Foundation used private donations to give each officer a $500 bonus for their extra hours worked during the weeks of protests.

The post Video: Interim Atlanta police chief addresses officer sickout in wake of Rayshard Brooks charges appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

The Atlanta City Council on Saturday, June 20, approved the budget for Fiscal Year 2021 in a 13-2 vote.

The general fund budget is approximately $673 million for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The Fiscal Year 2021 budget includes:

• No increase in the City of Atlanta’s millage rate.

• Adding $427,000 for the Atlanta Citizen Review Board to increase funding for outreach and communications, additional positions, and renovation and relocation efforts.

• $1.6 million to launch an Equitable Growth Grant program focused on the creation and attraction of high-quality, middle-wage jobs

• $1.5 million for the expansion of the Atlanta/Fulton County Pre-Arrest Diversion (PAD) Initiative to support the hiring of additional staff, other costs to cover direct participant expenses, the purchase of vehicles, and additional office space.

• $500,000 in funding to the Department of Transportation to install speed humps.

Additionally, the Council approved legislation to create a Public Safety and Community Support Restricted Fund and authorize the chief operating officer to produce a report of recommendations to enhance the City’s approach to public safety.

See more details on the budget breakdown at this link.

The post City Council approves 2021 budget at special Saturday meeting appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

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The Atlanta City Council will continue Friday’s special called meeting and reconvene Saturday, June 20 at 1 p.m. to consider and adopt the Fiscal Year 2021 budget. The meeting will be held remotely due to the telework protocol activated for City Hall. The Council received 1,073 public comments for Friday’s special called meeting, which totals 16 hours and 56 minutes. The public can listen to the meeting by dialing (877) 579-6743 and entering the conference ID number 8315991256. The meeting will be simulcast on the Council’s website, YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter pages, and on Channel 26.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced applications are now open for the creATL Relief Fund to support Atlanta’s independent creative workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible applicants may receive $1,000 each to support essential financial obligations such as food, housing, utilities, medical expenses, and transportation costs affected by project cancellations and other pandemic-related disruptions. Atlanta residents who work in the creative industry are eligible to apply for the creATL Relief Fund. To receive a grant, applicants must be part of the creative industry workforce—including film, television, media, music, eSports, and digital entertainment—and live and operate within the city of Atlanta. Applicants must be able to demonstrate loss of job opportunities, contracts, freelance or other work in the creative or entertainment industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact on their ability to cover living expenses and basic financial needs. Applications are open to July 3, 2020 at 9:00 p.m. Grant awards are subject to the conditions of the program. All eligibility requirements and application information are available on Invest Atlanta’s website at www.investatlanta.com/creATL. For more information, contact Sheoyki Jones, Creative Industries Program Manager for Invest Atlanta at sajones@investatlanta.com.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Metro Atlanta Chamber, Georgia Equality, Anti-Defamation League, Atlanta Black Chambers of Commerce, the NAACP and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce released a joint statement in response to the proposed Georgia Hate Crimes Bill.  “We want to thank Speaker Ralston and members of the House leadership team for their steadfast support of HB 426 in passing meaningful bi-partisan hate crimes legislation in Georgia. We are also encouraged by our conversations with Lt. Governor Duncan to give this issue the attention it deserves. While the recently introduced senate proposal still requires additional study, we are committed as a business and civil rights community in working together with our elected officials to enact an effective hate crimes bill. The final bill should address much-needed penalties for those who commit inconceivable attacks of murder, property destruction or personal targeting solely based on who they are. Prioritizing equality and inclusion in our society remains paramount to Georgia’s continued ability to be the best state in which to live and do business. We encourage members of the General Assembly to work across party lines and to move quickly. The time to act is now.”

 

The post News Briefs: Saturday budget adoption; creative industry grants; hate crimes legislation appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

Benjamin Franklin once said: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”. When talking about real estate investing, nothing could be closer to the truth. To succeed as a real…