Atlanta accepts Fulton County's offer to buy city jail for $68 million
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Fulton County has offered to buy the Atlanta City Detention Center for $68 million. Photo: Kristal Dixon/Axios
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has accepted Fulton County's offer to buy the City Detention Center for $68 million, according to a letter shared with Axios.
Why it matters: The Downtown building has fueled a long-running debate over whether Atlanta should get out of the jailing business or if Fulton County should acquire the facility to help ease overcrowding and address problems at its main Rice Street jail.
What they're saying: Dickens said in an emailed statement the proposed agreement benefits both Fulton County and Atlanta residents and "promotes the safe, humane and appropriate treatment of detainees while making responsible use of existing public resources."
- "This is an example of what can be accomplished when local governments work together toward solutions that are fiscally responsible, operationally sound and centered on people," he said.
- Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said "we have worked toward this day for many years and I am grateful to Mayor Dickens for his leadership and partnership."
- He also said the county is "committed to humane treatment" of its detainees and is "equally committed to diversion programs and mental health services to help people avoid incarceration in the first place."
The other side: Several residents spoke in opposition of the pending sale at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
- Devin Barrington-Ward, a member of the Community Over Cages coalition, said Dickens as a council member introduced legislation to close and repurpose the jail into a center for "equity, wellness, and freedom."
- He also criticized Dickens for agreeing to the sale despite previously saying Fulton County's lease of up to 700 beds at the facility to alleviate overcrowding at its Rice Street would be temporary.
- "I want to be very clear with the mayor: You may want your legacy to be affordable housing, housing, transportation, [and] the environment, but your legacy is Cop City," Barrington-Ward said. "It is mass incarceration and it is police surveillance. And we will never ever let you run away from that."
Catch up quick: Fulton County began leasing bed space at the jail in 2022 to address overcrowding at Rice Street. That agreement is set to expire in November.
- Dickens originally offered to sell the building for $80 million, but withdrew it in July when commissioners opposed extending several tax allocation districts (TAD) to fund the mayor's Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative.
- Fulton County then submitted a counteroffer of $56 million.
- Dickens put forth another counteroffer to sell ACDC for $68 million, but with several stipulations related to funding a new hospital in the West End and changing its commercial property tax assessment and appeals process.
- Fulton County last week said it would accept the price, but rejected the other conditions Dickens put in his counteroffer.
What's next: The Atlanta City Council and Fulton County Board of Commissioners must both agree to the sale before it can move forward.