Black-owned BUZZ Coffeehouse on Historic Cascade: closing. Black woman-owned Hodgepodge Coffeehouse on Moreland Ave: closing. Two places I’ve spent years sipping delicious coffee, completing big projects (including my dissertation), and building community announced they’ll be shutting down in the same week due to rent spikes. Our team at Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative has been tracking and hitting the pavement to listen to Black business owners facing displacement and one thing is clear: the displacement of Black-owned businesses is rendered nearly invisible in Atlanta policy discussions. We need better policy tools to preserve affordability for these vital community wealth building and job creating centers in our neighborhoods, but there are far fewer tools and investments in this area when compared to housing affordability. Moreso, there are more tools and policies in place to accelerate the displacement of these businesses than there are to stop it. We look forward to sharing more of what we’re learning. But this is unacceptable.
To learn more visit: https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/peachtree-road-race-a-family-tradition-for-chamber-ceo-katie-kirkpatrick/GALTL444UFBYJNJZ76HEVQZ5EM/