ATLANTA — The lack of access to quality groceries and fresh food in southwest Atlanta could be addressed through Council Member Marci Collier Overstreet’s legislation to incentivize grocers to establish new stores, which was recently passed by the City Council.
The Plan: Overstreet’s legislation will allocate $1.5 million in Economic Opportunity Fund grants towards encouraging investment, promoting development, and incentivizing job creation in underserved areas where access to fresh groceries is scarce.
Overstreet has been working on this legislation for years and said she is excited to see it finally adopted. “Having grocery stores nearby is absolutely vital for ensuring food access and promoting good health and nutrition,” she remarked. “I’m hopeful this funding and the incentives will create new partnerships and development in the area that will bridge gaps, reduce disparities, and boost access to healthy, quality food.”
Invest Atlanta will manage the $1.5 million funding, helping to encourage new development and create food access points in historically underserved areas of the city.
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By The Numbers:
- $1.5 million allocated towards Economic Opportunity Fund grants
- Funding managed by Invest Atlanta
- Legislation incentivizes grocers to establish new stores in underserved areas of Atlanta
Why It Matters: The passage of Overstreet’s legislation is a significant milestone towards improving access to quality food in underserved areas of southwest Atlanta. The $1.5 million in funding will incentivize development and create food access points in historically underserved areas of the city, providing job opportunities and better access to fresh, healthy food.
What’s Next?: The new legislation will provide opportunities for groceries to establish themselves in underserved areas but there remains more work to be done to improve access to quality food in these areas. Overstreet and her colleagues will need to continually push for progress on this important issue.
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