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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Atlanta. Written by Kristal Dixon and Thomas Wheatley.

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A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked Georgia's law prohibiting transgender minors from using certain medical treatments.

Why it matters: The hot-button issue dominated the conversation during the most recent legislative session and put Georgia among roughly 20 states with laws banning gender-affirming care for minors.

Major medical organizations consider such care necessary and potentially lifesaving.

Catch up quick: The law prohibits doctors from administering hormone therapy or transition-related surgery to Georgia minors — though it exempts puberty blockers. Several pseudonymous Georgia families filed a lawsuit in late June the day before it took effect.

They argued that the law "infringes parents' fundamental right to make medical decisions in the best interests of their children" and violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution by singling out transgender minors.

What they're saying: In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty argued that the law violated the 14th Amendment and would likely "put some individuals at risk of the serious harms associated with gender dysphoria that gender-affirming care seeks to prevent."

The state has argued that more research is needed "before claiming that the benefits of allowing minors to receive hormone or surgical treatment outweigh any potential medical risks, such as blood clots, heart disease or infertility," the AJC reports.

The big picture: Federal judges in Kentucky and Tennessee recently allowed similar laws to take effect. Judges have also temporarily blocked Alabama's and Indiana's versions.

In early June, a federal judge in Arkansas struck down the state's first-in-the-nation ban.

Judge calls time out on Georgia's gender-affirming care ban

The law would likely "put some individuals at risk of the serious harms associated with gender dysphoria," judge says

Illustration of a gavel with a trans flag on it

Transgender rights

A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked Georgia&#x27;s law prohibiting transgender minors from using certain medical treatments.Why it matters: The hot-button issue dominated the conversation during the most recent legislative session and put Georgia among <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="roughly 20 states" data-vars-click-url="https://www.hrc.org/resources/attacks-on-gender-affirming-care-by-state-map" data-vars-content-id="15b86d04-92bb-40d9-b231-e6935b2c00de" data-vars-headline="Judge calls time out on Georgia&#x27;s gender-affirming care ban" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/attacks-on-gender-affirming-care-by-state-map" target="_blank">roughly 20 states</a> with laws banning gender-affirming care for minors.<ul><li><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Major medical organizations" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/03/gender-affirming-care-trans-youth-us" data-vars-content-id="15b86d04-92bb-40d9-b231-e6935b2c00de" data-vars-headline="Judge calls time out on Georgia&#x27;s gender-affirming care ban" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/03/gender-affirming-care-trans-youth-us" target="_self">Major medical organizations</a> consider such care necessary and potentially <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lifesaving" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/early-care-leads-better-mental-health-transgender-youths-study-finds-n1241289" data-vars-content-id="15b86d04-92bb-40d9-b231-e6935b2c00de" data-vars-headline="Judge calls time out on Georgia&#x27;s gender-affirming care ban" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/early-care-leads-better-mental-health-transgender-youths-study-finds-n1241289" target="_blank">lifesaving</a>.</li></ul>

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Data: Brookings; Note: Includes all biking, walking, transit and vehicle miles. Map: Alice Feng/Axios Visuals

The average Atlanta metro area household traveled nearly 36,000 miles in 2022, per a new study. That's higher than the national average of nearly 30,000.

But the data also shows that Atlantans living near "activity centers" — or neighborhoods with many community institutions, tourism destinations, consumption amenities and jobs — drive less. 

Driving the news: The Brookings Institution study explores household auto, biking, mass transit and walking data for the 110 largest U.S. metro areas to measure how close people are to where they work, eat, play, shop and more.

Atlanta ranks sixth for overall miles traveled among the country's 110 largest metro areas.

Why it matters: "Helping people live closer to the centers of economic activity ... should reduce the distances people need to travel for many of their essential trips," the analysts wrote. It can also lower emissions, create safer streets and save money, they added. 

"Shorter trip distances, in turn, make walking, bicycling, and transit more attractive and can improve quality of life."

Zoom in: Looking closely at metro Atlanta neighborhoods, it's not just those in the city who are driving less. In fact, those living near five "activity centers," namely Midtown, downtown, Decatur, Buckhead and Sandy Springs, travel more than 40% less, the researchers point out. 

"Even in many of the fastest-growing, asset-rich suburban locations" like Kennesaw and Alpharetta, total miles traveled is far lower than suburban locations, they pointed out.  

State of play: "Still, Atlanta's most proximate neighborhoods are home to only 16% of the metro area's population," researchers said. 

So prioritizing growth in these "activity centers," they argue, would likely reduce the region's overall travel distances. 

By the numbers: "For the average driver, living closer to multiple activity centers can save around $920 to $1,200 in annual transportation expenses, and reduce their carbon footprint by 2,455 to 3,020 pounds of carbon dioxide," researchers found.

The bottom line: The analysts argue for "building for proximity" to lower overall trip distances and make walking and biking more feasible.

Go deeper: The many benefits of "building for proximity"

Atlantans drive thousands more miles per year than people in other U.S. cities

But those living near "activity centers" drive far less.

The average Atlanta metro area household traveled nearly 36,000 miles in 2022, per a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new study" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/05/brookings-building-proximity" data-vars-content-id="3bf2911c-6f08-4178-b92e-2eedd0843ae2" data-vars-headline="Atlantans drive thousands more miles per year than people in other U.S. cities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/05/brookings-building-proximity" target="_self">new study</a>. That&#x27;s higher than the national average of nearly 30,000.<ul><li>But the data also shows that Atlantans living near &quot;activity centers&quot; — or neighborhoods with many community institutions, tourism destinations, consumption amenities and jobs — drive less. </li></ul>

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A Democratic state representative from Atlanta who has repeatedly voted against her party, including by supporting a failed school voucher bill, is now a Republican.

Driving the news: State Rep. Mesha Mainor announced on Tuesday she will join the GOP, making her the first-ever Black woman to serve as a Republican in the Georgia General Assembly.

Why it matters: Mainor, who was first elected in 2020, represents the deep-blue 56th state house district that stretches from Westview up into Midtown.

Be smart: The switch means these largely Democratic voters will  be represented by a Republican for the duration of Mainor's term, which expires in 2024.

Of note: In an interview with Axios in April, Mainor said she would "never" switch parties, and vowed to run for re-election.

What they're saying: Mainor said Tuesday during a press conference at the Capitol that she was a lifelong member of the Democratic Party because it was known as the party that fights for the underserved and "those that have been forgotten."

"I wish I could stand here and say that the Democrats at the Capitol are all of those things, but that's just not true," she said, adding that members of the party have "publicly slandered" her.

The other side: The Democratic Party of Georgia said in a statement that Mainor's switch is a "stinging betrayal of her constituents, who elected a Democrat to represent them in the state legislature."

"House District 56 deserves a representative who will do the job they were elected to do, including fighting for high-quality public education," the statement reads.

The big picture: Since taking office in 2021, Mainor has frequently broken ranks with her party.

Last year she supported a special needs voucher and a ban on localities from lowering police budgets, and this year voted for a new prosecutorial oversight commission pushed by Republicans.

Flashback: Criticism from her fellow Democrats reached a fever pitch earlier this year when she supported a bill that would have provided parents a $6,500 voucher per child to use towards certain private schools' tuition, tutoring fees, therapy or transportation.

Afterwards, a Democratic state senator offered $1,000 to anyone willing to challenge Mainor in the primary.

That legislation failed after Republicans from rural parts of the state rallied against it.

Mainor previously told Axios that she supported the bill because "parents in my district are fed up."

"I vote for what my constituency needs," she said in an interview with Axios following the vote. "No party has all the answers."

Zoom out: A North Carolina state legislator, Tricia Cotham, left the Democratic Party and joined the GOP in April and later sponsored a bill supporting vouchers for private schools.

"If you don't do exactly what the Democrats want you to do, they will try to bully you," Cotham said at the time.

What we're watching: The state Democratic Party said it looks forward to electing a "strong Democrat … who will serve the people, not personal political ambitions" in 2024.

Mainor has not had any general election opponents before, and won her 2022 primary with 65% of the vote.

Georgia state legislator switches to Republican Party

Mesha Mainor becomes the first Black woman to serve as a Republican in the state legislature.

Rep. Mesha Mainor. Photo: Arvin Temkar/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Democratic state representative from Atlanta who has repeatedly voted against her party, including by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="supporting a failed school voucher bill" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2023/04/05/atlanta-democrat-mesha-mainor-breaks-party-line" data-vars-content-id="4e311037-0959-4232-b1dd-08e2a1c961a7" data-vars-headline="Georgia state legislator switches to Republican Party" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2023/04/05/atlanta-democrat-mesha-mainor-breaks-party-line" target="_self">supporting a failed school voucher bill</a>, is now a Republican.Driving the news: State Rep. Mesha Mainor <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="announced" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/MeshaMainor/status/1678794658615537670" data-vars-content-id="4e311037-0959-4232-b1dd-08e2a1c961a7" data-vars-headline="Georgia state legislator switches to Republican Party" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/MeshaMainor/status/1678794658615537670" target="_blank">announced</a> on Tuesday she will join the GOP, making her the first-ever Black woman to serve as a Republican in the Georgia General Assembly.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday announced it had fired a veteran journalist and issued corrections to his recent high-profile investigation of UGA's football program.

Why it matters: The late June story told of how the school's football program "rallied" behind players accused of sexual misconduct, raising questions about coach Kirby Smart's leadership and the outsized role the Bulldogs play on campus life.

It was the latest in a series about how the program responded to alleged player wrongdoing like traffic offenses.

Driving the news: The AJC said on Wednesday the story failed to meet its editorial standards, corrected it, edited the headline and "removed or adjusted" several paragraphs. Editors have attached a new note to the top of the article's online version.

When asked for comment, investigative reporter Alan Judd referred Axios to a past statement to the newspaper, saying that he's "proud of the work I have done for the AJC for the last 24 years and I am grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to serve the community."

Catch up quick: On July 11, UGA's general counsel, Michael Raeber, sent a nine-page letter to the AJC outlining "errors, unsubstantiated allegations, innuendo and possibly even fabrications" and demanded the paper retract Judd's story.

Raeber said that, despite a months-long investigation, Judd reached out to the school for comment only the day before publication.

Details: The paper said on Wednesday a team of editors and attorneys had investigated the concerns and were unable to substantiate "one of the article's key assertions" that 11 players remained with the team after alleged violent encounters. The new version of the story cites only two players.

The paper's investigation also found Judd linked two separate statements "made minutes apart" by a detective as a single quote.

AJC editor-in-chief Leroy Chapman said doing so "did not change the meaning of the quote, but the way it was presented to readers failed to meet AJC standards."

Yes, but: The paper said it did not find any fabrications in the article.

Between the lines: Judd had been at the paper for nearly 25 years. A two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, his stories have spurred reform of the state's mental health system, helped uncover teacher cheating at Atlanta Public Schools and shined a spotlight on derelict absentee landlords.

Decades ago, Judd resigned from the Louisville Courier-Journal after a series he co-reported faced allegations of misquoting by sources and led to 10 corrections by the paper, as The Washington Post reported in 1988.

At the time, Judd told the Associated Press that "the entire story has not been told."

Of note: The AJC and Axios are both owned by Cox Enterprises.

AJC reporter fired amid UGA investigation blowback

The paper made corrections to the story about the Bulldogs' treatment of alleged player misconduct.

A wide-angle photo of UGA's Sanford Stadium packed with Bulldogs fans wearing red and black on gameday

Sanford Stadium on a game day. Photo: Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

College football

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday announced it had <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="fired" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ajc.com/neighborhoods/cobb/ajc-issues-corrections-in-uga-football-program-story/KH7YTUBWXJDNFHMFXRKYVGDYQA/" data-vars-content-id="8705d824-d1a4-4755-8354-79420fbfdeda" data-vars-headline="AJC reporter fired amid UGA investigation blowback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ajc.com/neighborhoods/cobb/ajc-issues-corrections-in-uga-football-program-story/KH7YTUBWXJDNFHMFXRKYVGDYQA/" target="_blank">fired</a> a veteran journalist and issued corrections to his recent high-profile investigation of UGA&#x27;s football program.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The late June story" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ajc.com/news/uga-football-program-rallies-when-players-accused-of-abusing-women/SBI6GDXYTRAHFA6RHGL3L62POI/" data-vars-content-id="8705d824-d1a4-4755-8354-79420fbfdeda" data-vars-headline="AJC reporter fired amid UGA investigation blowback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ajc.com/news/uga-football-program-rallies-when-players-accused-of-abusing-women/SBI6GDXYTRAHFA6RHGL3L62POI/" target="_blank">The late June story</a> told of how the school&#x27;s football program &quot;rallied&quot; behind players accused of sexual misconduct, raising questions about coach Kirby Smart&#x27;s leadership and the outsized role the Bulldogs play on campus life.

Sports

In a desperate effort to combat a chronic teacher shortage and a housing affordability crunch, school districts in Atlanta and across the country are getting into a new industry: homebuilding.

Why it matters: On their salaries, many teachers simply can't afford to live where they work, which can have repercussions on the quality of students' education, Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, told Axios.

Pringle, a former teacher, said those forced to commute for hours aren't spending as much time with students and are more prone to burnout.

Driving the news: According to the nonprofit National Council on Teacher Quality, in 15 of 69 U.S. cities a starting teacher salary could not cover a one-bedroom rental in 2022.

Since 2017, the average American home price has risen 40%, and rent for one bedroom in the largest metro areas has increased 22%, per NCTQ.

But starting teacher salaries have only risen 15%.

NCTQ has found teachers need three times as long as the average U.S. household to save for a 20% down payment.

Zoom in: RBH Group is breaking ground this fall on a 457,584-square-foot, mixed-use Teachers Village in downtown Atlanta's Fairlie-Poplar district.

The high-rise would have 424 units reserved for educators who want to work in the city of Atlanta, 197 set aside for workforce housing and another 227 for seniors. It's expected to be completed in 2026.

10% of the units will be available to those who make no more than 80% of the area median income, and the remaining will be rented out below 120% AMI.

More than 22,995 square feet will be set aside for retail use and another 147,948 square feet for parking.

What they're saying: RBH's communities "are a model for shared, intergenerational living where residents share social responsibility and live purposeful lives in supporting each other and helping their cities thrive," Lonnie Soury, a spokesperson for RBH Group, said.

Other RBH projects aimed at helping teachers are planned for Chicago and Stockton, California, and the company is exploring options in Charlotte, Dallas, Denver and Phoenix.

The big picture: "When teachers can't afford to live in the communities where they teach … that cost can be considerable," NCTQ president Heather Peske told Axios. It "threatens the teacher pipeline" and contributes to turnover, she said.

"If you can increase their salaries, then teachers can afford to get into the housing market," she pointed out. And then, they'll be more likely to stay.

Zoom out: The American Federation of Teachers, the nation's second-largest teachers union, last year opened a teacher housing complex in rural West Virginia, its president, Randi Weingarten, told Axios.

"We're not in the business of building housing, but what was clear is that there was no housing," she said.

They're open to doing more projects, she noted, but said fundraising for it was difficult. They were forced to borrow money, take out a mortgage and use tax credits.

State of play: There are more than 36,500 teacher vacancies in the U.S., estimates Kansas State University Professor Tuan Nguyen, though he says that is likely to be an undercount because of lags in some state's data reporting.

Nationwide, the average salary range for teachers (adjusted for cost of living) is $57,637-$83,992, per NCTQ.

Reality check: Although each district's situation is different, the root of the housing problem lies in chronic under-compensation of teachers, said Pringle with the NEA.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, teachers have for decades experienced a "wage penalty" — meaning they consistently make less than their non-teacher, college-educated counterparts.

The penalty hit a record high in 2021 at 23.5% less.

Threat level: The affordability problem disproportionately affects teachers of color, who are more likely to have student debt.

"Educators of color often want to go teach in schools or districts that have higher percentages of students of color," Peske with NCTQ said. "And those are typically urban districts, where the cost of housing is less affordable."

Editor's note: This story has been corrected with RBH Group's updated figures for the Teachers Village.

Districts explore building homes for teachers amid affordability crunch

RBH Group is breaking ground this October on a 536,319-square-foot, mixed-use Teacher's Village in downtown.

Illustration of an apple shaped like a house. 

In a desperate effort to combat a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="chronic teacher shortage" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2021/11/15/teacher-labor-shortage-outlast-pandemic" data-vars-content-id="98f1c073-ba97-4d30-b33d-e0e232d9c916" data-vars-headline="Districts explore building homes for teachers amid affordability crunch" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2021/11/15/teacher-labor-shortage-outlast-pandemic" target="_self">chronic teacher shortage</a> and a housing affordability crunch, school districts in Atlanta and across the country are getting into a new industry: homebuilding.Why it matters: On their salaries, many teachers simply can&#x27;t afford to live where they work, which can have repercussions on the quality of students&#x27; education, Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, told Axios.

Emma Hurt

Featured stories

Judge calls time out on Georgia's gender-affirming care ban

Districts explore building homes for teachers amid affordability crunch

Atlantans drive thousands more miles per year than people in other U.S. cities

AJC reporter fired amid UGA investigation blowback

Georgia state legislator switches to Republican Party