United Way Atlanta is hosting an event next week on the significant impact of small businesses.

Tuesday, August 20
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
 
Knowles Conference Center
Georgia State University College of Law
85 Park Pl NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
 
Light refreshments will be served
Join us to explore the profound impact of small businesses on families and children in Metro Atlanta.
 
In partnership with Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative, this InForum will explore the vital connection between thriving small businesses and the well-being of children in our communities, and will feature discussions with key thought leaders and stakeholders.
 
A significant part of the event will be the release and discussion of data from a research report United Way of Greater Atlanta commissioned with the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative. The report examines the connection between the presence of Black businesses and child well-being in predominantly Black communities. Thus, the InForum will be held in August during Black Business Week, focusing on how thriving businesses directly impact child well-being.

United Way of Greater Atlanta’s InForum Series is an open forum and discussion panel event that promotes dialogue and collaboration amongst community leaders regarding the Child Well-Being Index.
 
Learn more about the Child Well-Being Index here.

An awesome crew of 13 volunteers, including teens and kids, removed bags and bags of invasive weeds from Underwood Hills Park for Trees Atlanta Forest Restoration last Saturday.
Trees Atlanta will return in 3 months. Meantime, look out for other volunteer opportunities on our calendar and at myvoluntier.com 
Here are a few follow up resources for you to continue to help our ecosystem. Mark your calendars, Sept 6 online ordering opens for our native tree sale! We will be selling non-tree plants as well!

1. Why native plants matter
   
2. Native Plant Nurseries
   
3. List of Georgia Native Plants
   
4. Trees Atlanta has a native tree sale every October and a native plant sale every April.
   
5. Trees Atlanta's Front Yard Tree Program
   
6. Free plant identification app: Seek or iNaturalist
   
7. Consider donating specifically “unrestricted” funds to the Forest Restoration department to reach our sites that have the greatest need
   

Please stay involved in restoring Atlanta's native habitats by removing invasives from your yard, planting native, and continuing to support Trees Atlanta. ​

About a dozen people attended the GM at Round Trip Brewing with several others online.
Link to zoom recording.

• President's report- The results of Website Accessibility assessment were presented, highlighting how small changes can make it easier for vision and hearing impaired users to access information. Changes will be implemented on the website to address these. 
• Shane Murphy is now Interim Social Chair, and Chris Lecraw will continue as Spring Social Coordinator. Shane and Chris were both thanked for their invaluable contributions over many years. Shane provided an outline of social activities including Playgroup and Halloween.
• Safety Chair Cynthia Williams outlined UHERO activities, inviting neighbors to participate in the neighborhood version of FEMA, and Fire Station home fire drills. 
• Eugen Gassmann is now interim Sponsorship Chair - former Chair Melissa Blair was thanked for the tremendous contribution she made looking after Sponsorship for the last few years.
• Planning- The In rem hearing for 1809 Defoor demolition decision outcome was discussed. Neighbors noticed a new sign regarding tree removal posted. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
• An extensive discussion was had on the NPU-D- Resolution on Billboards on Howell Mill Rd, and the proposed legislation. Elizabeth Hollister, UWCID provided context and feedback on communicating with Council Members. UHNA VP Beau Grant and NPU-D Rep Eva Nason provided suggestions on ensuring community concerns are heard.
• Beautification Chair Seaver Lippitt gave an update via zoom on recent graffiti cleanup, future playing field reseeding plans and invasive weed removal. These are also an opportunity for Teens to earn Community Service Hours. 
• Jan Swink can no longer continue as Teen Committee Coordinator and was thanked for her efforts. A new cohort of high school students has started and are invited to suggest project ideas and participate in community service.
• UHNA Store has a new manager Ms Hanan Ghamlouch. Current Store manager Ashley provided an update of the handover process and we look forward to seeing Hanan's ideas.
• ​UWCID Executive Director Elizabeth Hollister also provided information on the upcoming Westside Stride event Sunday October 6. More information will be provided closer to the date.

Underwood Hills Playgroup returns Friday August 3 at 4pm at Underwood Hills Park. Your support has made our weekly gathering special.

If anyone would like to host a particular week, please use the sign up genius link below. Please forward the link to anyone who may be interested.

Underwood Hills Playgroup signupgenius.com

UHNA reimbursement is available for hosts.
​Please send a scan of your receipt (or highlighted credit card/bank statement) to UHNA Treasurer Beth Stedman at [email protected].

UHNA Sponsor Your 3rd Spot's Annual Community Memberships launched Wednesday July 31st. Pre-registered neighbors have the opportunity to sign up first!

Community Memberships are available for just $45 per person annually for the first 1,000 founding members. 

The Perks:

• First Experiences Pass Free
• ½ Off Experiences Passes for all future visits (one ½ price Experiences Pass per member per day)
• ½ Off Bowling (for the member only)
• 20% off Events (cannot exceed 30 guests of $200)
• Secret Members Only Menu
• Karaoke Night Access (after 9PM on Thursdays)
• Monthly Community Connection Events
• Skip the Line!

"Our hope is that this membership unlocks all that Y3S has to offer and allows us to celebrate our neighbors. Membership ensures you have a welcoming place to gather, relax, and engage with others, enhancing the sense of community we all cherish while growing your local connections. You can click this link for more details and to get signed up!

Thank you for already being a friend and neighbor!  We genuinely hope you’ll consider joining our community of explorers, connectors and fun, amazing people."

From former AHA Board Member Julian Bene;
​Next Wednesday, August 7, Fulton commissioners are staging a required listening session about this year's property tax hike.
 
This is our chance to tell them to their faces what we think about them allowing trophy commercial properties to be appraised at an average of 55% of their sale value, while our homes are appraised at around 100%.  As you know, Commissioners are willfully letting enormously profitable behemoths like INVESCO, BlackRock and Google get away with huge underpayment of property tax – hundreds of millions across the county. This leaves ordinary Atlanta households to pick up the tab.
 
Commissioners have known about the trophy property tax scandal for at least six years – when we got the AJC and Channel 11 to run stories on it.  They’ve known since 2021 that their development authority has a big conflict of interest when it gives out unnecessary tax breaks to every project that comes along. The breaks add to the underpayment of property tax by the highest value properties in town and consequently adds to the tax burden for families. The Commission has done nothing to fix either of these scandals. They play us for fools.
 
Commissioners may not know how much this galls us.  Though Mo Ivory’s defeat of Natalie Hall sent a signal.  Next Wednesday is a chance to inform them.  Please add your voices in person or via Zoom.  
 
Let me know if you’d like a copy of a slide deck that gives examples of mammoth trophy under-valuations and outlines how a serious Commission would fix the scandal.
 
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this tax increase to be held in the Government Center Assembly Hall, 141 Pryor Street, Atlanta, GA 30303 on August 7, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., and via video conferencing via Zoom address: 

https://zoom.us/j/96836327417?pwd=cVd5MG1ONEVsL2FjYXJBZEhUSUJvZz09 

Best, Julian
​[email protected]
404.317.9320