Residents and advocates demand halt to Old Wheat Street sweeps after death of Cornelius Taylor

Dozens of residents, advocates and community leaders used the Atlanta City Council's public-comment period to press elected officials to stop planned evictions of the Old Wheat Street encampment and immediately implement a housing-first plan the encampment's residents and a coalition of service groups have proposed.

The speakers repeatedly cited the January death of Cornelius Taylor and said that previous sweeps of the site had contributed to unsafe conditions. "The last time you conducted a sweep of this area, you killed a man," said Jonathan Holly, a resident and organizer who testified during the meeting. "A sweep is not just violent and inhumane, it is a laughably inadequate solution."

Why it matters: Speakers said the city can both avoid violence and provide stable housing by adopting the coalition's plan, which community members say already identifies 28 units that would permanently house every person in the encampment. Activists warned that short-term clearing operations will only displace residents temporarily and create repeated crises. Several speakers told council the proposed plan requires only the city's cooperation and coordination to move forward.

What speakers told the…