Wednesday, April 11, 2018 concluded the first 100 days of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ administration. The first 100 days of any executive administration offers new leaders an opportunity to set the tone and the stage for the rest of their tenure, so there is no better time to check in on the status of Atlanta City Hall.
The last few months have been challenging for Mayor Bottoms by no fault of her own. Two events in particular have sought to slow her down – the ransomware attack on city systems and the 11-count indictment against former city hall employee Mitzi Bickers. However, she has handled them both gracefully, working with city staff to mitigate the effect of the ransomware attack on Atlanta citizens and capably distancing herself from any bad behavior from the last administration. Her recent demand for the resignation of all high-level cabinet members was an especially striking move.
Behind all the high-profile drama, however, Mayor Bottoms has racked up a significant list of wins for the city and its people. These include the acquisition of the largest remaining single purchase of land to help close the Atlanta BeltLine southside trail, closing a deal to transfer 31 deeds to Atlanta Public Schools, unveiled a new citywide initiative to strengthen affordable housing opportunities in the City of Atlanta, and several other programs and initiatives which fulfill her central campaign promises.
When Mayor Bottoms was running for her new office, she made it clear that two of her biggest priorities were transparency and housing affordability. In just 100 days, she has backed up that rhetoric with action. She has spent a significant portion of her life serving the City of Atlanta, despite facing all of the unique attacks and challenges that come with being a woman of color seeking higher office.
If her first 100 days are anything to go by, #blackgirlmagic is going to do wonders for Atlanta.
