ARC’s 2024 State of the Region Explores the ‘Power of Connection’

DECATUR — Nov 01, 2024

About 1,500 metro Atlanta leaders attended the Atlanta Regional Commission’s 2024 State of the Region event today to take stock of metro Atlanta and explore key regional challenges through the theme of the “Power of Connection.”

In her State of the Region address, ARC Executive Director Anna Roach said ARC is committed to channeling the power of connection to move the region forward.

“We can only do that by collaborating with our community partners – and that means all of you! That’s how we create One Great Region,” she said. “This morning, I’ve had the distinct pleasure to highlight our region’s success stories and shine the spotlight on the new and innovative programs that are making a real difference in our community. We can’t forget why we are doing this work. It’s about people. It’s about changing lives.”

Roach also discussed ARC’s “Reconnecting the Region” initiative, which leverages new federal grant programs to make strategic investments aimed to bridge divides created by major infrastructure projects. She highlighted the Flint River Gateway Trails, a planned 31-mile network of multi-use trails that will connect the cities of College Park, East Point, and Hapeville and Clayton County, providing new recreational opportunities and better access to jobs and services.

The keynote address was delivered by former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who talked about his efforts to improve opportunities for young people in metro Atlanta through his nonprofit, ATL: Advance the Lives.

Metro Atlanta Speaks Survey Shows Economy is Region’s Top Concern

ARC today also released results from the 2024 Metro Atlanta Speaks public opinion survey, which found the economy is the Atlanta region’s top concern. When asked about the biggest problem facing metro Atlanta, 32% of the respondents said the economy, followed by crime at 20%, and human services at 12%.

Other survey highlights:

Housing affordability remains a challenge for many: Nearly two of three respondents (64%) said they could not afford to move to another house or apartment in their current neighborhood, about the same as last year
Transportation takes a “back seat” to other regional issues: Prior to the pandemic, transportation consistently ranked as the region’s top challenge. This year, transportation came in fourth, with 11% of respondents choosing it as the region’s biggest problem. That’s the same as last year’s survey.

Majority are concerned about climate change: More than half of respondents (53%) said climate change is a “major global threat” in the next 10 years. That compares to 59% a year ago, the first year ARC asked this question.
Emergency health care access challenges: In a new question this year, nearly one in four respondents said they “strongly disagreed” or “agreed” that an ambulance would arrive in a timely fashion in case of a medical emergency.
Concerns over AI: In another new question, 42% of respondents said they felt that artificial intelligence would have a “mostly negative” effect on society, while 30% said it would be “more balanced” and 22% said “mostly positive.”

For additional information about the 2024 survey, including county level results, please visit atlantaregional.org/metroatlantaspeaks.

What’s Next ATL Talks: Exploring Innovation and Ideas

Dr. Anthony W. Smith, Superintendent & CEO of Clayton County Schools, delivered a What’s Next ATL talk that explored the bold moves the school system is taking to provide better opportunities for the county’s young people.

He spotlighted the school district’s “4-E-Effect,” which aims to provide high school graduates with four meaningful options for the future: enrolling in a 2-year or 4-year college program, enlisting in the military, obtaining viable employment right after high school, or becoming an entrepreneur by launching their own business. The goal, he said, is “no dead ends.”

Imagine “every child graduating with a clear roadmap, connecting their talents to the needs of our communities, our economy, and the unknown opportunities of tomorrow,” he said.

Jenny Taylor, Vice President of Career Services and Chief Mission Officer of Goodwill of North Georgia, talked about her organization’s effort to help people live to their fullest potential and thrive, through the dignity of work.

“There is a dignity and power in work and knowing you matter. That each person has intrinsic value and something to contribute,” he said. “We apply that philosophy to people who are unhoused, women escaping domestic violence, people with justice involvement eager for a second chance … anyone lacking resources, experiences or opportunity, but have one thing in common – they are motivated to work. Because that is the only criteria to get help from our Goodwill.”

Regional Excellence Awards Honors Innovative Projects, Places, and Plans

This year’s Regional Excellence Award winners show how bold ideas, and visionary thinking can transform a community. The 2024 winners are:

Visionary Planning: Gwinnett County for Building the Daily Community – The 2045 Unified Plan. This plan focuses on how to accommodate Gwinnett’s growing population while maintaining its high quality of life. The plan aims to create vibrant, healthy places where a variety of people want to live. It also employs the 15-minute city model where jobs are closer to homes, recreation, opportunities and amenities.
Great Places: Midtown Alliance for the Midtown Public Space Network. This 1.2 square mile, mixed-use district provides free amenities and creative activities such as a dog park, green spaces, and a plaza that hosts artists markets and yoga classes. Public art anchors open spaces, and tree canopies provide a shady respite.
Innovative Development: Partners for Home, City of Atlanta, and Atlantica Properties for The Melody. The Melody is an innovative, 40-unit tiny home community near the Garnett MARTA station in downtown Atlanta that is designed to care for the city’s unhoused population. Tenants can stay as long as they need in the homes, which are built from repurposed shipping containers.
Livable Center: The City of Clarkston for the Clarkston Greenways Feasibility LCI Study. This study, which focused on connecting people to parks, greenspaces, commercial corridors and other destinations, featured an innovative approach to community engagement showcases how to include and uplift under-represented communities. Community engagement ambassadors were hired to translate, interpret, and distribute information to the highly diverse community.
Honorable Mention: The City of Avondale for the Northwoods Rain Gardens. The city transformed a once-neglected wooded area into a community amenity that includes mitigation measures to filter stormwater and reduce sediments and pollutants in a nearby creek and lake.

Harry West Visionary Leadership Award Presented to Jack Hardin

The 2024 Harry West Visionary Leadership Award was presented to longtime civic leader Jack Hardin. Hardin stands apart as a regional leader for his continued positivity and determination while tackling some of the most difficult issues our region faces – homelessness and equal access to healthcare.

Hardin, a corporate attorney who led his own firm and now is a partner at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, has been a leader in the Atlanta region’s philanthropic community. He currently chairs the Fulton County Board of Health, and co-chairs the Regional Commission on Homelessness. He serves as president of the Georgia Legal Services Foundation, and as Chair Emeritus of Gateway LLC, a homeless services center he helped create in 2005.

Hardin also serves on the boards of the Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation and of Partners for Home, Inc., and is Vice-Chair of the Board of Georgia Works, a workforce program for the chronically homeless.

“Jack, you are truly a bold, visionary leader,” said ARC Executive Director & CEO Anna Roach. “You are never afraid to step out of your comfort zone and speak up for the voiceless in our region. The Atlanta Regional Commission is honored to present you with the 2024 Harry West Visionary Leadership Award. Congratulations on receiving this award. And thank you for your tireless dedication to our community.”

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The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 74 other cities. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s mission is to foster thriving communities for all within the Atlanta region through collaborative, data-informed planning and investments.

Contact Name: Paul Donsky
Contact Phone: 470-626-3869
Contact Email: pdonsky@atlantaregional.org