(ATLANTA, GA.) — Atlanta City Council members approved a new heat safety plan during a planning meeting on Tuesday after public health experts and community advocates warned that the extreme temperatures this summer are putting the city’s most vulnerable residents at risk.
The council approved Resolution 26R3801, which would require the city to develop a formal heat safety plan that would expand access to cooling centers, improve outreach efforts, and create a centralized website for heat-related resources.
Advocates said the plan could save lives — and reduce emergency costs.
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Dr. Matthew Woodruff, a faculty member at the Emory University School of Medicine and director of the organization SAN, said unhoused residents face much higher risks during extreme heat. He referenced research that showed how unhoused populations experience more emergency room visits and hospitalizations during extreme heat compared with housed populations.
Woodruff said even a small investment in cooling resources could prevent costly emergency responses. Compared to hospital visit costs, he recommends “A $25,000 investment in cooling breaks, even if you prevent 32 ED visits, or only two hospitalizations."
He said the city’s response should not be viewed only as a humanitarian effort but also as a practical investment.
“This is not just a moral argument that we are making,” Woodruff said. “It is in the best interests of the city of Atlanta to provide these services.”
Workers’ rights advocates also urged the city to address heat risks for employees working outside ahead of Atlanta’s role as a World Cup host city.
Photo Credit: YouTube / ATLChannel26
Lucia Gambino, a workers’ rights organizer with Sewer Legal Collaborative, said workers have reported being exposed to extreme heat without adequate access to water, shade, or bathroom breaks.
“Workers have told us that they have been exposed to extreme heat with little or no access to water, shade, or even bathroom breaks,” Gambino said.
The council’s action came alongside approval of the city’s 2026 Annual Action Plan for federal housing funds, which includes more than $23 million for affordable housing programs and services for people experiencing homelessness.
The funding includes $6.7 million in Community Development Block Grant funds, $2.3 million in HOME funds and $14.5 million through the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS program.
During public comment, residents questioned how the city handled a recent cleanup at Freedom Park that some described as an encampment clearing.
Councilmember Kelsea Bond, who represents the district where the park is located, shared her feelings on the cleanup. She said the city should consider the impact on people living there, regardless of how the site is classified.
Photo credit: YouTube / ATLChannel26
"Something that I want to be clear about is that whether this falls under the city's definition of [an] encampent or not, people do live there every day and store their belongings there," Bond said. "I think we really need to examine (...) not just what standard operating procedures exist on paper, but the impact of the city's actions."
"If people are living there, whether you visibly see a tent in that given moment or not -- throwing away people's belongings impacts people's lives," Bond said. "I would really encourage the city to think about the impact rather than, you know, defending our actions on the basis of definitions."
The council approved several other measures, including a 20-year agreement with the L.E.A.D. Center for Youth, to build and operate a community center at Hill Park, a joint-use agreement with Atlanta Public Schools, and more than $22 million in workforce development grants.
To add to or correct information in this report, please contact me at mia.s@lead4earth.org.
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