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| Committee for a Better Atlanta | |
|---|---|
| Name | Committee for a Better Atlanta |
| Type | Civic improvement organization |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Region served | Atlanta metropolitan area |
| Key people | Bill Todd; Maynard Jackson; Shirley Franklin; Sam Massell |
Committee for a Better Atlanta
The Committee for a Better Atlanta was a civic advocacy organization founded in 1971 to influence urban planning, transportation, and public policy in Atlanta, Georgia. The group engaged with municipal leaders such as Maynard Jackson and Andrew Young, collaborated with regional institutions like Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., and appeared alongside organizations including the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Greater Atlanta, and Georgia State University. Its activities intersected with high-profile projects and figures such as Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Ronald Reagan-era federal programs, Carter Center, and civic leaders like Shirley Franklin and Sam Massell.
The Committee emerged during a period shaped by events like the Civil Rights Movement, the 1970s energy crises, and federal urban policy under the Department of Housing and Urban Development; early members included business executives, neighborhood activists, and former elected officials linked to Maynard Jackson and Ivan Allen Jr.. It participated in debates over projects such as the expansion of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the routing of interstate highways like Interstate 75 and Interstate 85, and regional transit initiatives associated with Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and proponents of the Atlanta BeltLine. Over decades the Committee worked alongside institutions including Emory University, Georgia Tech, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and municipal administrations from Sam Massell to Kasim Reed.
The Committee framed its mission in terms of urban competitiveness, infrastructure, and civic engagement, advocating positions that intersected with policy arenas influenced by lawmakers such as Zell Miller and Nathan Deal and civic actors like Andrew Young and John Lewis. It issued reports, convened panels with representatives from The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, and Bank of America, and hosted forums featuring planners from Perkins and Will, attorneys from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, and scholars from Georgia State University and Emory University. The Committee’s activities included producing analyses tied to projects like Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., airport expansion at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and downtown redevelopment near Centennial Olympic Park, often aligning with economic development groups such as the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.
Governance typically combined corporate executives, municipal officials, and civic leaders; notable chairs and supporters included figures associated with Maynard Jackson, business leaders tied to The Coca-Cola Company and Delta Air Lines, and philanthropists connected to The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Leadership rosters often overlapped with boards of regional institutions like Civic League of Atlanta, Atlanta Regional Commission, and nonprofit partners including United Way of Greater Atlanta and The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. Staff and consultants were sometimes drawn from firms such as Perkins and Will, Kaiser Permanente executives engaging in community health initiatives, and legal advisers from firms linked to Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton.
The Committee promoted campaigns on transportation policy tied to Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority referenda, airport development at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and downtown revitalization near Centennial Olympic Park and Piedmont Park; it weighed in on contentious proposals like routing decisions that involved Interstate 75, Interstate 85, and light rail proponents. It supported public-private partnerships for projects involving corporate stakeholders such as The Home Depot, Coca-Cola Enterprises, and Delta Air Lines, and engaged in redevelopment dialogues connected to entities like Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., Invest Atlanta, and philanthropic funders including the Woodruff Arts Center donors. Campaigns also crossed into housing debates involving agencies such as Department of Housing and Urban Development and community groups affiliated with Southern Christian Leadership Conference and neighborhood coalitions.
Funding streams mixed corporate contributions from companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, and banking partners such as Bank of America, with grants and collaborations involving foundations including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and community funders like The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. The Committee partnered with universities such as Georgia State University, Emory University, and Georgia Institute of Technology for research, collaborated with regional planning entities like the Atlanta Regional Commission and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, and worked in coalition with civic groups including United Way of Greater Atlanta and Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
Supporters credited the Committee with shaping infrastructure outcomes tied to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, transit debates involving Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, and downtown redevelopment near Centennial Olympic Park and Piedmont Park, often praised by business leaders at The Coca-Cola Company and Delta Air Lines and civic figures like Andrew Young. Critics, including neighborhood activists, housing advocates, and scholars from Georgia State University and Clark Atlanta University, argued the Committee favored business-led solutions over grassroots priorities, drawing scrutiny from civil rights-era organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and policy analysts from think tanks like the Brookings Institution. Debates over transparency, influence, and equity involved elected officials including Maynard Jackson, Shirley Franklin, and Kasim Reed as municipal decision-making intersected with corporate and philanthropic power brokers.
Category:Organizations based in Atlanta