A property owner's controversial bid to build a golf course on an island where Martin Luther King Jr and other civil rights leaders strategized was shot down once again by local elected officials.

Why it matters: St. Helena Island, which is near Georgia's border, is home to significant Gullah Geechee and civil rights history.

• It's also home to the Penn Center, which in the 1860s became the first school in the South established for formerly enslaved Black people.
• During the 1960s, the campus served as a planning center for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis and other members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

The latest: The Council on Monday voted 10–1 to reject a proposed development agreement for the 437-acre property on the northeast side of the county.

• Property owner Elvio Tropeano of Pine Island Property Holdings wants to build an 18-hole golf course and 49 homes on the property.
• He also sought to remove the land from the county's cultural protection overlay — which prohibits certain new developments, like golf courses — but withdrew the request after the council's decision.

What they're saying: Tropeano's attorney, Kevin Dukes, told the Council before it took action that the project was "truly unprecedented" and would maintain the rural character of the county.

The other side: David Y. Mitchell, chair of the Penn Center board of trustees and executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center, said the council's decision "affirms emphatically that Beaufort County has something very special."

The big picture: Kristin Williams, executive director of Open Land Trust, a conservation nonprofit, said St. Helena is one of the last sea islands along the Georgia and South Carolina coast with a thriving Gullah Geechee community.

• The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of Africans enslaved on plantations along the Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida coasts.

The bottom line: Williams told Axios the cultural protection overlay has allowed St. Helena to steer clear from the redevelopment path taken by Hilton Head Island.

• "It is a place that you feel … still has a soul, and that is because it hasn't turned into Everywhere, USA," she said of St. Helena Island.

Share this story

New multi-family developments in Midtown and Downtown and the Atlanta Beltline are helping Atlanta keep apace amid a nationwide slowdown in new apartments, according to a report.

Why it matters: Across the country, more than half a million new apartment units are expected to be completed this year — down roughly 21% from last year's record.

By the numbers: The city of Atlanta will deliver 6,400 of the metro region's 17,500 units scheduled to be constructed in 2025, per RentCafe.

Fun fact: Over half of new units on track to open in 2025 are located in the South, per RentCafe.

• The region's "business-friendly environment, relative affordability and less restrictive zoning laws … stand in sharp contrast" to more restrictive coastal areas, said Doug Ressler of data provider Yardi in the report.

Context: This year's drop across major U.S. metros is still above the annual average for this decade, according to a report by listing site RentCafe.

• The pipeline is slowing as higher building costs, higher interest rates and a surplus of supply in some markets make developers cautious to start new projects.
• The median rent in metro Atlanta dropped 14% compared to a peak in 2022, according to Realtor's August Rental Report.

What they're saying: "The boom in multifamily construction is ending," researchers at Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies wrote in a June report.

Between the lines: More people are renting because homebuying is out of reach, keeping rents high even as hikes ease.

• And apartments that do get built are usually luxury apartments, not the affordable options many renters are searching for.

Share this story

The University of Georgia regularly defeats Georgia Tech on the football field, but not in the latest U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges rankings released this week.

The latest: Emory University (24th) is the highest-ranked university in Georgia to make the list, followed by Tech (32nd) and UGA (46th).

Fun facts: Spelman College and Morehouse College ranked first and third among HBCUs nationwide.

• Berry College in Rome offered the best value among regional universities in the South.
• Georgia Tech was also named the third most innovative school in the country, down one spot from 2025's list.

The intrigue: Agnes Scott College retained its title as the country's most innovative liberal arts college.

• The Decatur school also ranked in the top five for first-year experiences and learning communities.

🔨 A former shoe factory in Old Fourth Ward that provides supportive housing to people who have experienced homelessness is getting a top-to-bottom renovation. (Urbanize)

🗳️ Republican Jason Dickerson defeated Democrat Debra Shigley in a special election runoff to replace former state Sen. Brandon Beach. President Trump tapped the North Fulton lawmaker to serve as U.S. Treasurer. (AP)

📚 The state's voucher program has paid for 8,000 students in low-performing school districts to attend private schools predominantly affiliated with Christian churches. (Georgia Recorder)

Fayette County Schools Superintendent Jonathan Patterson apologized after fans who were dressed in blackface were allowed to attend a "black-out" game. (Fox 5)

🏙️ Check out what's happening around Atlanta.

Gin & Jazz Social 2025 at The Omni Grove Park Inn - Country Club Fri: Celebrate F. Scott Fitzgerald's legacy with a roaring twenties-themed evening featuring a full meal, unlimited cocktails and a live jazz band.

Interested in featuring an event? Email [email protected].

Cardi B was at DBS Sounds in Riverdale on Monday to sign copies of her new album, "Am I The Drama?," which was released Friday.

• Pictures posted on Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services' Facebook page showed there was plenty of security to protect the building.