Morning, y’all! Is it hot in here? It’s hot in here. Temps will get into the 90s in the metro area this weekend, which is a bit ahead of schedule. Though it may not feel like it sometimes, Atlanta weather usually doesn‘t break 90 degrees until June.
Also, here’s today’s trivia question: What’s the most-surveilled city in America? Answer at the bottom. Hey! Don‘t just scroll down there. You gotta read the news first.
Let’s get to it.
GRIM NEW HOUSING DATA
Institutional investors own 30% of all single-family rental properties in the metro Atlanta area, according to new data from an expert recruited by Sen. Jon Ossoff to look into the city’s affordable housing crisis.
➡️ That’s about 70,000 properties, close to 10 times the national average for investor ownership.
Housing expert Taylor Shelton, an associate professor in the Department of Geosciences at Georgia State University, is a part of Ossoff‘s newly launched federal probe into the impact of investors on Georgia‘s housing market.
- Sheridan says he’s found “entire neighborhoods” where a single company owns most or all of the rental homes.
- One challenge of the investigation is finding out how these companies work. Shelton said his research shows three companies used 191 different owner names under 74 unique addresses to buy up Atlanta-area properties.
- As to how companies get their hands on properties so quickly, Shelton said they use algorithms to snatch up homes as soon as they hit the market. That can drive up home prices and property taxes.
The Ossoff-backed probe is still in its early stages, but the senator hopes it can lead to policy changes or new federal regulations.
🔎 READ MORE: What neighborhoods are commonly affected, according to a housing expert
A CHANCE FOR COLD CASES
The DeKalb County Cold Case Task Force is hosting a unique event this weekend to help solve missing persons cases.
- The Missing Persons and DNA Event, held at Legacy Park on Saturday, is designed to connect families of missing people with investigators.
- It’s also an opportunity to increase public trust and get people involved.
- People can file a report or seek information on a missing loved one. Those looking for someone are also invited to provide DNA samples, giving investigators the best possible chance to track down new leads.
- Families of missing loved ones can also submit medical records, photos; anything that could help with the search.
- DeKalb currently has 40 active missing person cases and 17 unidentified deceased victims.
- It’s the third year the DeKalb County District Attorney’s office has hosted the event. Other experts have attended the event in the past, including medical examiners from other metro Atlanta counties and genealogy experts.
🔎 READ MORE: How you can help solve cold cases in Atlanta
SHIPPING CHANNEL FACE-LIFT
The channel leading into the Port of Brunswick will get a $35.3 million clean-out. Brunswick is Georgia‘s second largest port and one of the busiest in the country, which means it needs to be in tiptop shape to allow for large shipping vessels.
Over the years, silt buildup has made the channel leading to the port shallower, narrower and harder for large ships to navigate.
The funds, from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will pay for a good dredging, set to start in September.
WEEKEND PLANS
🌍 Go international: Frühlingsfest in Midtown features authentic German and European beer, wine and food along with art exhibits and cultural attractions. Feeling Greek? The Marietta Greek Festival brings Greek food and culture the beautiful grounds of Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church.
🤓 Support young entrepreneurs: Talented young makers will sell their wares at two markets this weekend: The Children‘s Entrepreneur Market in Lawrenceville, and the Wythe Academy Children‘s Business Fair near downtown.
🏡 Party in Virginia Highlands: The Virginia Highland District Porchfest is back for its fifth year. We’re talking 100 bands, dozens of artists and small vendors and around 20 food trucks rocking the neighborhood, plus a race and lots of community spirit.
📚 Enjoy the great indoors: Introverts, I got you. Find your new summer read from AJC’s picks of the best book releases with Southern connections. Whether you want sultry Southern gothic or the kind of hot semi-autobiographical gossip that has you gasping at brunch, you’ll find your next reason to stay in.
Book sales, races, concerts: There’s plenty more to do this weekend around Atlanta
DREAM TIME!
Happy WNBA Season to all who celebrate! The Atlanta Dream are feeling fresh with a roster of new faces and a new head coach, Karl Smesko.
- The big guns: Atlanta added nine-time All-Star Brittney Griner and three-time All-Star Brionna Jones in the offseason, bringing some major heft and some major star power.
🏀 READ MORE: How Smesko is combining All-Star talent, new faces and new strategies on the court
- The Griner factor: First of all, “Atlanta Dream Star Brittney Griner” is a wild thing to be able to say. Apparently, she really likes Atlanta too! She’s been through some heavy stuff in her 11-year career, and sees her new team and city as a “rebirth.” (Very poetic, Resurgens and all that.)
“I feel like I got a rebirth,” Griner told The AJC. “I found my joy (for the game) again, and that was a big thing for me.”
- Securing the bag: With a new crop of NBA superstars joining big names like Griner’s, the WNBA is having to answer serious questions about player salaries.
🏀 A.M. ATL in person: What better way to kick off the WNBA season than by hanging with us? Members of the AJC newsletter crew, including myself and our beloved Tyler Estep, former A.M. ATL host and current host of Sports Daily and the Braves Report, will be at the Swap the Game watch party tonight.
Come, hang out, talk hoops, watch the Atlanta Dream take on the Washington Mystics and see how charming we are in person (not very). More info here.
NEWS BITES
Charlotte ties with Olivia for the most popular baby name in Georgia
Better start getting those nicknames ready. Char. Lottie. Charlie. Arlo? Probably not Harlot. Whew, this is hard.
Dick’s Sporting Goods to buy struggling Foot Locker for $2.4 billion
This feels like a cultural shift.
California man who used underwater scooter in lake to try to evade arrest pleads guilty to fraud
At no point did I know where that headline was going next.
Delta is expanding their fare options, with up to nine tiers
Are you flying First Class, Main Basic, Main Classic, Main Extra, Comfort, Comfort Classic, Comfort Extra, Premium Select or Delta One? What, is it confusing or something?
ON THIS DATE
My 16, 1977
From the front page of The Atlanta Journal: Concert Camping. What’s the best way to be sure to get tickets to a rock concert nowadays? Grab a sleeping bag and spend the night at the ticket window, of course. It’s the latest ritual on the youth social scene.
Wow. Concert ticket lines! All-night campouts. I remember that. Now we have their evil twin, Ticketmaster Digital queues. Way worse.
ONE MORE THING
The most-surveilled city? Why, Atlanta! Atlanta has the most surveillance cameras per capita in the U.S., with over 60,000 public and private units. In fact, only cities in China have more. How did we get here?
Have a lovely weekend! Ignore that nagging feeling of being watched, I’m sure it’s nothing.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact us at AMATL@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
AJ Willingham is an National Emmy, NABJ and Webby award-winning journalist who loves talking culture, religion, sports, social justice, infrastructure and the arts. She lives in beautiful Smyrna-Mableton and went to Syracuse University.
