Concerned residents on Atlanta’s Westside gathered Monday night for an emergency community meeting in Vine City, saying a proposed Atlanta Public Schools plan to repurpose 16 schools will disproportionately impact their neighborhoods — and deepen what they call decades of disinvestment.
‘A crisis’ for Westside
The meeting, held at Live Life Tabernacle, drew a small but passionate group of residents who said they’re tired of being overlooked when it comes to city funding and educational resources.
“We have a crisis,” one speaker said, as community members nodded in agreement.
Under the APS proposal, a majority of the 16 schools slated for closure or repurposing are located in Atlanta’s western neighborhoods, including Vine City and nearby communities.
Alton Peterson, a longtime resident and small business owner, voiced frustration over what he described as another blow to struggling families.
“They closing down schools. What can kids going to do?” he said. “They probably have to travel farther — and parents can’t do that because they’re struggling to pay rent and other bills.”
Concerns over city spending and gentrification
Residents also pointed to what they view as a longstanding disparity in how Atlanta’s tax allocation district (TAD) funding is distributed. The program was designed to spur development and improve infrastructure in underserved areas — but locals say the benefits haven’t reached them.
“We need oversight,” one attendee said. “We need to make sure it actually goes toward projects that actually help the people.”
Last month, Mayor Andre Dickens proposed using $5 billion in TAD funds to expand access to jobs, education, and food, while extending the program through 2055. But residents worry that the plan won’t arrive soon enough to slow gentrification and prevent more long-time families from being displaced.
Ann Breedlove, a Westside business owner, said her community has watched property values rise while Black residents have been forced out.
“The property owners and investors that have taken our properties in these neighborhoods — they have studied, pushed out African American people,” she said.
Calls for inclusion and accountability
For Peterson and others, the solution begins with inclusion — ensuring Westside residents have a voice in how development dollars are spent.
“My concern is just that the money’s going into the right places,” Peterson said. “Up the street, you’ll see folks laying on the sidewalk, folks asking you, ‘Can I get a quarter?’ It shouldn’t be that.”
Those who attended Monday’s meeting said this was just the beginning. They hope to strengthen dialogue not only within the neighborhood but also with city leaders and APS officials.
