Holds no public office. She was mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 and then a White House adviser. Campaign affiliation: Democratic.
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Voter guide
Background, stated goals, record, and money
Background comes from official records, and from the campaign's own biography where the bullet says so; goals are summarized from the campaign's own platform and stay attributed; the record lines are official actions with the government source attached; money is shown as filed, with the filing window and the reconciliation in the note under the table, and is not evidence of why any position was taken.
As mayor she testified to the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis on June 11, 2021, and answered a question there about urban heat. In 2019 she told the Senate Democrats' climate panel about extreme heat, flooding and Atlanta losing 14% of its native tree species.
Limit: At the 2021 House hearing she spoke about heat. Her warnings about flooding and tree loss were in 2019 testimony to a Senate Democrats' panel, not a formal Senate committee.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Pandemic grants for small businesses
Matches stated record claim
What they say
Her campaign says she launched the Resurgence Grant Fund, which let small businesses apply for up to $40,000 and has given nearly $30 million to more than 1,000 businesses and nonprofits.
“Launched the Resurgence Grant Fund that allowed small businesses to apply for up to $40,000 of assistance during the pandemic, which has provided nearly $30 million to more than 1,000 businesses and nonprofits”
Invest Atlanta, the city's development agency, says she announced the fund on July 27, 2020, with grants of up to $40,000. In 2022 it said the fund's 2020 and 2022 rounds had given nearly $30 million to over 1,000 businesses and nonprofits.
Limit: About $8.2 million of the total came in the 2022 round, after she left office. The money was federal pandemic aid, not city money.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
City ethics and transparency reforms
Matches stated direction
What they say
Her campaign says she advanced reforms including the city's first chief transparency officer, and established an inspector general and tighter rules on city credit cards.
“Established stronger accountability measures in city government, including creation of an Inspector General and reforms to restrict and tighten oversight of city-issued credit cards”
Atlanta's code shows all three became law while she was mayor: a transparency officer in September 2018, credit card rules banning personal use in January 2019, and an independent Office of the Inspector General in February 2020. The charter has the mayor approve or veto each law, and her office said she signed the inspector general law.
Limit: Council members sponsored all three laws. Her January 2020 order says the inspector general law was introduced in coordination with her administration, and city releases say she proposed the transparency law and signed the inspector general law.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
$700 million and 7,000 affordable homes
No verdict
What they say
Her campaign says she raised more than $700 million and helped build or preserve more than 7,000 affordable homes.
“She raised more than $700 million, and helped build or preserve more than 7,000 affordable homes”
In 2019 she pledged $1 billion toward 20,000 affordable homes by 2026. The city's December 2020 report counted $497 million in city-controlled funds and 6,007 homes since January 2018, about half still in the pipeline. In March 2021 she said nearly $500 million in locally controlled public funds had gone to affordable housing, with more than 6,000 new or preserved homes.
Limit: The $1 billion goal counted private and charity money as well as public money, so a total raised is not the same as city spending. The city's counts include money committed but not yet spent, and homes not yet finished.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Atlanta's first chief health officer
Matches stated record claim
What they say
Her campaign says she appointed Atlanta's first chief health officer to coordinate the city's response to chronic disease, asthma, HIV and other health problems.
“Appointed Atlanta’s first Chief Health Officer to better coordinate the city’s response to chronic disease, asthma, HIV, and other public health challenges”
On July 25, 2019, her office said she had appointed Dr. Angelica Geter Fugerson as the city's first chief health officer. The job was to build coalitions against new HIV cases, asthma, diabetes and other chronic illness.
Limit: Under state law, Fulton and DeKalb counties run public health in Atlanta. The officer's job was to advise the mayor and act as a bridge to the counties.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
City money for HIV prevention
Matches stated direction
What they say
Her campaign says she made the city's first direct investment in HIV prevention and expanded access to PrEP, a medicine that prevents HIV.
“Made the first direct city investment in HIV prevention and expanded access to PrEP”
In May 2019 the city council unanimously approved her plan to give $100,000 to the Fulton County Board of Health for PrEP and counseling for people at high risk. Her office called it her legislation; Councilmember Antonio Brown sponsored it.
Limit: The city records read here do not say whether this was its first HIV prevention spending. The same release lists a separate $10,000 city grant for a mobile HIV testing unit.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Savings accounts for kindergartners
Matches stated record claim
What they say
Her campaign says she started Atlanta's Child Savings Account program, which opened bank accounts with seed money for Atlanta Public Schools kindergartners.
“Started Atlanta’s Child Savings Account program, which created bank accounts for Atlanta Public Schools kindergartners and provided seed money to open each account”
On Nov. 15, 2021, her office said the city council had approved her plan to give $2 million to the nonprofit Operation HOPE to set up the program. On Nov. 19 she announced its launch with Atlanta Public Schools: qualifying kindergartners get a savings account with a $50 deposit. The release says the city's $2 million was made possible by community incentives she negotiated in the Gulch redevelopment deal.
Limit: Only qualifying kindergartners get an account: the family or the school must meet income and equity criteria. Operation HOPE sets up the accounts and puts in the $50, and the city's releases do not say how many children got one.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Diversion instead of jail
Matches stated direction
What they say
Her campaign says she would expand diversion and treatment for people in nonviolent cases.
“expand diversion and treatment options for nonviolent cases”
Her FY21 budget, passed in June 2020, expanded the city's pretrial diversion program citywide, the city's reform site says. By July 2021, police in every zone could send people to the Policing Alternatives and Diversion program instead of jail. On Nov. 1, 2021, the council authorized her to sign a deal with Fulton County for a diversion center, which she said would help people charged with minor, non-violent offenses.
Limit: The city pages read here do not show her signing the county deal. Ground was broken on the center in April 2023, after she left office.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Outside advice on police use of force
Matches stated record claim
What they say
Her campaign says she brought in leading civil rights attorneys and policing experts to advise the Atlanta police on use of force and de-escalation.
“Brought in some of the country’s leading civil rights attorneys and policing experts to advise on Atlanta Police Department tactics and policies, including use-of-force standards and de-escalation training”
In June 2020 she set up a use-of-force advisory council by administrative order and ordered new police rules, including de-escalation. The council's report says its members included lawyers, with co-chairs from Gideon's Promise and the Southern Center for Human Rights. On Nov. 18, 2020, she announced the city had retained the Police Executive Research Forum to review police policy and training.
Limit: Her August 2020 orders acted on 16 of the council's 33 recommendations.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Stipends for young entrepreneurs
Matches stated record claim
What they say
Her campaign says she worked with the United Way to expand the Youth Entrepreneurship Program, putting in $2 million so young people get $200 a month while they train.
“Partnered with United Way of Greater Atlanta to expand the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) and provided a $2 million investment to offer young people $200 monthly stipends”
On Nov. 19, 2021, she announced $2 million of the city's American Rescue Plan money for the program, run with the United Way of Greater Atlanta. Young people get $200 a month while in mentoring, job training and entrepreneurship courses.
The city adopted the Clean Energy Atlanta plan in March 2019. It includes a letter from her and says the city will form an advisory board. The mayor's sustainability office lists board meetings from March 18, 2021.
Limit: The 100% by 2035 goal came from a council resolution on May 1, 2017, before she took office. The plan itself says her office recommended moving the citywide target to 2050.