All Things Considered

The Atlanta City Council is considering a new strategy to encourage developers to build affordable housing: give them land for free – or almost free. Like us on Facebook To explain the logic behind the legislation, housing advocate Matthew Charles Cardinale pointed to the last time he was in Arkansas. He was struck by the low rent of apartments — just $400 a month. “Arkansas can do it. Why? The land isn’t that expensive,” Cardinale said. “If we avoid the acquisition costs we can get to that level of affordability.” The legislation he crafted with City Council members Michael Julian Bond and Natalyn Archibong would allow Atlanta to sell its vacant lots for just a dollar. The offer would be available to developers who commit to building units for the lowest income residents – those who make 30 percent or less of the area's median income. Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration expressed support for the idea Tuesday but asked the City Council to hold the ordinance to determine where the empty

At a Target near Midtown, shoppers were stocking up on clothing and school supplies, but this year, there's no back-to-school tax break in Georgia because lawmakers didn’t pass a law calling for it. Like us on Facebook Kate Morgens, a teacher at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, said she was sad to learn there wouldn’t be a sales tax holiday this year. “Usually I have to buy school supplies right before school starts, so when there is one right around the beginning of school that would be great – especially because your kids get bigger and get older and then suddenly you need bigger clothes, so it would be really beneficial,” Morgens said. But Mercer University economics professor Allen Lynch said most retailers raise prices for the sales tax weekend, so Georgia shoppers aren't really missing out. "It's almost like a political gimmick,” Lynch said. “It's very appealing to consumers to hear that they're going to get this tax break." It's not that great for shoppers, he said, because

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia could vote on a new sexual misconduct policy for colleges and universities next month. Some activists say a draft of the plan is well intentioned. However, they’re concerned about some changes to the existing policy. Like us on Facebook For example, the revised policy doesn’t list ‘interim steps’ schools are legally required to take after an alleged assault. Those include changing housing assignments or restricting contact between the parties involved. The new policy gives students several reporting options. However, some advocates are concerned it doesn't let victims know they have a legal right not to report an assault to the police. The university system has said it wants to make policies more consistent between schools. The board could vote on the proposal at its next meeting on Aug. 8.

Georgia students made some progress on math and language arts tests, according to state officials. The Georgia Department of Education released the results of the 2017 Georgia Milestones assessment Thursday. Like us on Facebook The test scores students in one of four categories of learners: beginning, developing, proficient and distinguished. The GDOE says students who score in the proficient designation are on track toward being college- and career-ready. In 2017, the number of students scoring proficient or distinguished increased or held steady in most cases, officials say. Where scored dropped, they did so by three percentage points or less. “Our students’ performance continues to trend upward, and some of these gains are particularly encouraging,” State Schools Superintendent Richard Woods said in a statement. Woods also admitted there is still plenty of room for improvement. “I agree with the Georgia Department of Education when it says, ‘We are moving in the right direction,’”

Atlanta's police and fire departments are offering a $5,000 bonus for military veterans who complete officer training. Like us on Facebook The incentive comes as the APD is looking to fill roughly 225 vacant officer positions. Deputy Chief Stacie Gibbs said the bonuses are part of a city-wide emphasis on hiring veterans, but she said the recruiting help is welcome. "We didn't used to have to go to a job fair and set up a table next to Cobb County,” Gibbs said. “We weren't competing against other local departments." Gibbs said APD recruiters are also up against new cities that have cropped up in the metro area in recent years. She said another problem is public perception of the job. "People are just nervous about policing,” she said. “We have to really go out and sell the profession.” Nationally, census data shows about one in five police officers are veterans. About 6 percent of the country's population has served in the military. She said veterans are attractive candidates because of

Both of Georgia’s senators are expected to vote in favor of the latest version of the Senate health care plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which was released Thursday . Like us on Facebook Speaking to Bloomberg News on Thursday, Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., said he likes the newest version . "This thing continues to evolve, but I think we're getting to a point now where we're very, very close,” Perdue said. “I remain hopeful and I think we got something now that we can work with." Perdue said he wants to make sure affordable plans are available for people with pre-existing conditions and that Medicaid funding is sustainable. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., said he's still reviewing the latest draft of the bill. In a statement, Isakson said the new version has more funding for Georgia hospitals starting in 2020. Perdue and Isakson are considered to be safe "yes" votes for the GOP. Premium Increases Perdue said he’s concerned about affordability. Blue Cross Blue Shield of