The item criminalizing homeless has failed 6-4, with Wright, Fisher, Culpepper and Hamby as the four trying to criminalize it.

Pretty epic fill the room, y'all. I'm impressed. Also tired! 😴 Thanks to everyone who spoke! (This is almost over, right?)

The number of people either currently experiencing homelessness, or having prior experience, who are commenting tonight is really remarkable.

Is "Commission keeps housing supply low but criminalizes being without one" my headline for this one?

We have our first person speaking in support of the urban camping ban now.

Two people experiencing homelessness are urging the mayor and commission to reject making "urban camping" illegal, along with a large number of service providers and other advocates.

Now it's time to talk about criminalizing homelessness and banning "urban camping." Awesome.

The ACC Commission has voted to allow tiny houses unanimously! This is a good thing, but I'm not as happy as I'd think I would be, after ADUs went down so hard, crashing and burning. But yay, tiny houses!

Final vote on denying ADUs was 7-3, with Davenport, Link and Myers voting in a last ditch effort to keep ADUs alive. Alas, the commission has decided against ADUs, pretty decisively.

"I was not a fan of [accessory dwelling units] earlier. I’m a fan now, if you do it right,” Ovita Thornton said in 2025, something she repeated this year as the election was in full swing. After the election? Now she's voting against them. 🤷‍♂️ athenspoliticsnerd.com/envision-ath...

Affordable housing summit highlights the need for more construction, fewer regulations | Athens Politics Nerd

Envision Athens held their fourth annual Fair and Affordable Housing Summit at Athens First United Methodist Church on April 29. Representatives from the ACC

athenspoliticsnerd.com

Commissioner Link has motioned to send ADUs back to the planning commission so they can make a few amendments, such as limiting ADUs to one bedroom in existing neighborhoods. Commissioner Myers is seconding. We'll see how much appetite there is among their colleagues.

Mayor Girtz laying some knowledge down for anyone to pick up if they would like.

Hey buddy, every single homeowner in Athens is not going to build an ADU. This is absurd. The opposition goes straight from: ADUs will do nothing, to ADUs everywhere would be a disaster! If we build lots of ADUs, that would be a huge success and it would lower the price of rent.

Joan Rhoden, prominent Athens Republican, is trying to speak twice on the ADU amendment and she's refusing to leave the podium.

This guy just said, 'oh ADUs won't help enough, there's nothing you can do about affordable housing, you might as well give up,' or something to that effect. Kind of awful and hilarious. Don't let our housing policy be controlled by people who believe that!

The comments in opposition to ADUs are just wild, completely unhinged.

The comments have started about accessory dwelling units down at city hall. We might be here for a while.

The monthly mayor and commission meeting is about to start. On the agenda, we've got ADUs, tiny houses and an urban camping prohibition. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk-k...

08-04-2026 Mayor & Commission Regular Session

YouTube video by Athens-Clarke County (accgov)

youtube.com

There will be a special election in November to replace outgoing ACC Board of Education member Nicole Hull. If you're interested in running for the seat, qualifying begins at 9 am on August 19 and ends at noon on August 21. You can qualify at the ACC Elections Office in downtown Athens.

I have some opinions about the opinions of Athens' homeowners on accessory dwelling units. 🙄 www.youtube.com/shorts/qRwP2...

When Boomers attack: Athens homeowners fight against affordability

YouTube video by Athens Politics Nerd

youtube.com

The Coalition of Athens Scientists is planning a candidate forum in state house District 121 (Eric Gisler and Dutch Guest). The coalition is looking for your opinions on the issues before crafting the questions. Take their survey here to provide input: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

House District 121 Forum on Energy and the Environment

A group of Georgians with Stance On Science are hosting a non-partisan House District 121 candidate forum on local issues related to energy and the environment. The forum will be free and open to all...

docs.google.com

The people who don't believe that ICE separates families. They've got to be bots, right? Are there real people who are this out of touch?

A large and continuing immigration crackdown is sweeping across Athens with more than ten people taken by ICE in just a few days. Four of those taken belonged to one family in which ICE took everyone but an 11-year-old girl. athenspoliticsnerd.com/ice-rips-fam...

ICE rips family apart in Athens, leaves 11-year-old alone and afraid | Athens Politics Nerd

The family in this story has asked that only their first names be used out of fear of further ICE action.

athenspoliticsnerd.com

I'm writing a story about ICE activity in Athens and I want to say -- fuck those bastards. Once we're able to restore rule of law in this country, there must be prosecutions.

UPDATE: Due to requirements of the ACC charter, the vote to select Envision Athens to manage the county's affordable housing trust fund has been overturned. An RFP process will now be used to select the fund's manager. athenspoliticsnerd.com/envision-ath...

Envision Athens selected to run Athens' affordable housing trust fund | Athens Politics Nerd

UPDATE (6/30/26): Due to requirements of the ACC charter, the vote to select Envision Athens has been overturned. All purchases beyond a certain threshold

athenspoliticsnerd.com

And now Commissioner Stephanie Johnson is getting conspiratorial (of course). She thinks Habitat for Humanity is responsible for the ADU ordinance. 😐 Then the manager corrects her, "This amendment was requested by the commission." 😆

Commissioner Carol Myers is asking for people under 65 or who rent (the vast majority of Athenians in other words) to give public comment about ADUs. You can comment here. ADUs are item 21. www.accgov.com/FormCenter/C...

Ovita Thornton is also voting no on the ADU ordinance. 😵‍💫 Was all the talk about affordable housing just election talking points, Ovita?

Dexter Fisher is voting no on the ADU ordinance but he says he wants to "take a look at it" in -January.- Thanks, such a champion for affordable housing there.

It's going to be so embarrassing for the commission when the ADU ordinance fails for pass for a second time. Dear Lord. This is basic, basic stuff.