Over the last three years, Matt has authored legislation to:
 

Launch the Southeast's First E-Bike Rebate Program

Partnered with the Atlanta Regional Commission and Propel ATL to establish a program, seeded with $1 million from the City and focused on residents making 80% or below of the region's median income. 

Ensure Full Funding of Affordable Housing Trust Fund
In Fall 2021, Matt authored legislation establishing the "Building the Beloved Community Affordable Housing Trust Fund"-- funded annually with 2% of the City's budget. 

Double Annual Funding for Park Maintenance
Partnered with Council Member Dustin Hillis to double the City's Park Improvement Fund, generating an additional
$16 million annually for park maintenance and operations. 
 

Create a Small Business Recovery Fund
Following the water main brakes in May 2024, created a $7.5 million fund to support small businesses and their employees impacted by the incident. 

Conduct First Trails Master Plan in a Generation
Partnering with the PATH Foundation to work with residents, nonprofits, and philanthropic partners to develop and adopt the City's first trails master plan since the 1990s. 

Complete the City's first Heat Vulnerability Assessment Partnered with Council Member Liliana Bakhtiari to fund the City's first-ever assessment to identify neighborhoods at the highest-risk of climate change.​​

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Over the last four years, Matt also worked hard to:

• Pass a $100 million housing bond to build and preserve affordable housing units citywide.

• Pass a $75 million homeless bond to build units and provide services for our unsheltered neighbors

• Make the City government's first-ever investment in Early Childhood Education for our youngest residents.

• Strengthen Atlanta's Tree Protection Ordinance for the first time in 25 years  

• Adopt annual pay raises for our public safety officers

• Open Atlanta's first diversion center and expand the Policing Alternatives & Diversion programming citywide

• Ban Data Centers near MARTA stations and the BeltLine

• Expand Atlanta Streets Alive to take place monthly

• Pass a blight tax targeting abandoned/vacant homes

• Launch a $6 million fund to open up grocery stores and access to fresh products in food deserts

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Service to Atlanta's Students

Before joining Council, Matt served on an Atlanta Board of Education that recruited and partnered with a new superintendent to push decision-making to schools, develop a Turnaround Strategy for chronically struggling schools, secure $545 million for school construction, and expand early childhood education offerings and wraparound services like school-based health clinics.

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As chair of the APS Budget Commission, he cut waste, increased teacher pay, allocated funds based on student need, and directed more dollars to our classrooms-- without raising property taxes.

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During Matt's term, graduation rates rose from 58% to 77% and APS saw increased SAT, ACT, and AP scores systemwide.