{"result":[{"id":41,"title":"Beyond the Boardroom - Celebrating Black History Month","published_date":"2025-02-24","featured_image":{"id":2746,"parent_id":7,"resource_file_name":"green_and_yellow_gardening_youtube_channel_art_.png","resource_content_type":"image/png","resource_file_size":5624286,"resource_updated_at":"2025-01-31T13:06:50.388-05:00","caption":"","description":null,"attachable_id":null,"attachable_type":null,"assets_resource_uses_count":1,"created_at":"2025-01-31T13:06:50.473-05:00","updated_at":"2025-02-25T11:07:05.960-05:00","filename_hash":"green_and_yellow_gardening_youtube_channel_art__aWME9PX.png","width":2560,"height":1440},"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n \n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv style=\"padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/1060149499?badge=0\u0026amp;autopause=0\u0026amp;player_id=0\u0026amp;app_id=58479\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" title=\"Beyond the Boardroom - Celebrating Black History Month\"\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cscript src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"beyond-the-boardroom-celebrating-black-history-month","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"AbK8PA","created_at":"2025-02-25T10:57:37.067-05:00","updated_at":"2025-02-25T11:07:05.947-05:00"},{"id":40,"title":"Beyond the Boardroom with Dr. Eloisa Klementich","published_date":"2025-01-31","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n \n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv style=\"padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"\u003e\u003ciframe allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/1052376351?badge=0\u0026amp;autopause=0\u0026amp;player_id=0\u0026amp;app_id=58479\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" title=\"Beyond the Boardroom - Site Selection Magazine\"\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cscript src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"site-selection-mag","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"lcu_fA","created_at":"2024-12-31T16:08:02.702-05:00","updated_at":"2025-02-03T14:46:58.875-05:00"},{"id":39,"title":"CEO Message: Looking Back and Forward","published_date":"2021-02-18","featured_image":{"id":1481,"parent_id":1,"resource_file_name":"tk_ia_2020_annual_report28-01.png","resource_content_type":"image/png","resource_file_size":1194566,"resource_updated_at":"2021-02-17T09:24:42.534-05:00","caption":"","description":null,"attachable_id":null,"attachable_type":null,"assets_resource_uses_count":1,"created_at":"2021-02-17T09:24:43.110-05:00","updated_at":"2021-02-24T11:00:09.823-05:00","filename_hash":"tk_ia_2020_annual_report28-01_XJRyjwl.png","width":1600,"height":2000},"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Our mettle as an agency was put to the test this year. Still, with hard work, dedication and grit, we implemented new programs alongside existing ones\u0026nbsp;to support the\u0026nbsp;city during this most challenging time.\u0026nbsp;Led by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Atlanta City Council and the Invest Atlanta Board, Invest Atlanta is proud to be part of the team that is keenly focused on a mission committed to equity and opportunity for more Atlantans.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOur mettle as an agency was put to the test this year.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eStill, with hard work, dedication and grit, we implemented new programs alongside existing ones\u0026nbsp;to support the\u0026nbsp;city during this most challenging time.\u0026nbsp;Led by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Atlanta City Council and the Invest Atlanta Board, Invest Atlanta is proud to be part of the team that is keenly focused on a mission committed to equity and opportunity for more Atlantans.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI must say that none of our success in 2020 would be possible without the passionate, dedicated team of professionals at Invest Atlanta who every day went above and beyond for the residents and businesses of Atlanta. Working together, we are boldly moving Atlanta forward toward economic recovery and an equitable, prosperous future for everyone who calls Atlanta home.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eYou can learn about our work this year and the many people our programs have helped in our 2020 Annual Report \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/assets/ia_2020_annual_report_NnQzrMv.pdf\"\u003ehere.\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;You can also watch a video presentation of the report \u003ca href=\"https://vimeo.com/514052051\"\u003ehere.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI cannot be prouder of all that we accomplished together as the IA Team.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"looking-back-and-forward-2020-annual-report","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"GQy99g","created_at":"2021-02-17T09:27:59.814-05:00","updated_at":"2021-02-24T11:00:09.772-05:00"},{"id":38,"title":"CEO Message: Please Be Safe","published_date":"2020-04-17","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n During this unprecedented time, we must always think of safety first and heed the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health authorities. This is the only way we can protect those we love \u0026ndash; family and friends.\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eDuring this unprecedented time, we must always think of safety first and heed the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health authorities. This is the only way we can protect those we love \u0026ndash; family and friends.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eHere at Invest Atlanta, we are working on doing just that \u0026ndash; protecting. Our objective is and always will be to provide the highest level of support to those we serve \u0026ndash; city of Atlanta residents and businesses \u0026ndash; while preserving the health and safety of our team. Hence, we have asked everyone at Invest Atlanta to work remotely and we are successfully operating as a virtual organization.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWe are open and available, and continue to support new projects, provide financing for affordable housing, make loans to businesses and move our programs forward. Forward is the only direction we can go to recover as quickly as possible from COVID-19, and I am proud of the work the staff is delivering and thank them for their commitment and resiliency.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eI am also pleased to share that we have launched three new programs to support residents and businesses as we shelter in place:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cul\u003e\r\n\t\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\r\n\t\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003eIA\u0026rsquo;s Homebuyer Education Q\u0026amp;A is Online \u0026ndash; If you are interested in purchasing a home, you can now take the \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/homebuyers/homebuyer-programs-downpayment-assistance\"\u003ecourse online\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\t\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\t\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\r\n\t\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003eIA Live Webinar Series \u0026ndash; Through regular, online conversations, businesses can tune in on \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/InvestAtlanta/\"\u003eIA\u0026rsquo;s Facebook page\u003c/a\u003e to hear from each other and from experts sharing helpful information to accelerate recovery.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\t\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\t\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\r\n\t\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003eIA Small Business Loan Program \u0026ndash; As businesses look for additional resources, IA has many options to consider.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\t\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eInvest Atlanta is committed to doing everything we can to protect Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economy. We are working hard every day to help our residents and businesses recover and prosper after COVID-19.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"ceo-message-please-be-safe","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"8bFXxg","created_at":"2020-04-17T11:46:08.632-04:00","updated_at":"2020-04-17T11:46:44.856-04:00"},{"id":37,"title":"CEO Message: Making a Statement on Equity","published_date":"2019-07-19","featured_image":{"id":934,"parent_id":5,"resource_file_name":"equity_ceo_message.png","resource_content_type":"image/png","resource_file_size":1689416,"resource_updated_at":"2019-07-22T11:08:21.799-04:00","caption":"","description":null,"attachable_id":null,"attachable_type":null,"assets_resource_uses_count":2,"created_at":"2019-07-22T11:08:21.880-04:00","updated_at":"2019-07-22T11:08:48.063-04:00","filename_hash":"equity_ceo_message_NnyZ45n.png","width":1200,"height":563},"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n On Thursday, July 18, we On Thursday, July 18, we officially unveiled Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s first-ever Equity Statement to our Board of Directors and the public.\u0026nbsp;You may wonder, \u0026ldquo;Why an equity statement? Why now?\u0026rdquo;\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOn Thursday, July 18, we officially unveiled Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s first-ever Equity Statement to our Board of Directors and the public.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eYou may wonder, \u0026ldquo;Why an equity statement? Why now?\u0026rdquo;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nAfter all, we have been doing work for decades to support greater equity for residents and communities throughout the City of Atlanta. Since its founding in 1979, the Urban Residential Finance Authority has been financing the creation and preservation of affordable housing in the City. And since 1997, the Atlanta Development Authority has supported small businesses, entrepreneurs, and worked to make Atlanta for everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms efforts making equity a top issue through her One Atlanta initiative, we also wanted to recognize the importance of equity in what we say, and more importantly, in what we do through our initiatives. That\u0026rsquo;s why we decided to highlight our focus and commitment on equity through this statement:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left:.5in;\"\u003eEconomic prosperity and competitiveness in Atlanta start with equity\u0026mdash;equitable access to opportunity and pathways to wealth creation.\u0026nbsp; It is more than a goal, it is a guiding principle that drives us. We advance our work through this lens to ensure that all Atlantans are positioned to benefit from economic investments in our city, regardless of their zip code.\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nWe are committed to responsibly utilizing the resources, economic incentives, programs and financial tools available to us to increase sustainable living-wage jobs and affordable housing, reduce income and wealth gaps across racial and social-economic lines, and help ensure all Atlanta neighborhoods and residents have the assets they need to thrive.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe have already put the statement up on our website and will display it prominently in our office as a reminder to our staff and visitors that equity is in all that we do.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe this is necessary and important, both as a way for us to clearly communicate with our stakeholders, but to provide a set of guiding principles around the actions we take and the new programs and incentives we launch.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition, we have 11 core values, we will be adding this core value to our list:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 40px;\"\u003eWe believe economic prosperity and competitiveness starts with equity for all Atlantans.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eMy hope is this will help more people understand the essence of the work we do.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis is who we have been.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis is who we are.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThis is who we will be.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd this where we want to continue to go.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"ceo-message-making-a-statement-on-equity","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"NpQjaw","created_at":"2019-07-19T10:32:58.189-04:00","updated_at":"2019-07-22T11:08:48.006-04:00"},{"id":36,"title":"CEO Message: A More Equitable Path to Wealth Creation Through Homeownership","published_date":"2019-06-24","featured_image":{"id":918,"parent_id":5,"resource_file_name":"homeownership_ceo_message.png","resource_content_type":"image/png","resource_file_size":1316800,"resource_updated_at":"2019-06-24T08:44:02.427-04:00","caption":"","description":null,"attachable_id":null,"attachable_type":null,"assets_resource_uses_count":2,"created_at":"2019-06-24T08:44:02.561-04:00","updated_at":"2019-06-24T08:44:58.293-04:00","filename_hash":"homeownership_ceo_message_eXKrn5j.png","width":1200,"height":640},"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n I believe that economic prosperity starts with equity \u0026ndash; equal access to opportunity and pathways to wealth creation. One of the ways we at Invest Atlanta are working hard to achieve this is through our downpayment assistance program to help more Atlantans benefit from homeownership.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp style=\"background:white\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#323130\"\u003eI believe that economic prosperity starts with equity \u0026ndash; equal access to opportunity and pathways to wealth creation. One of the ways we at Invest Atlanta are working hard to achieve this is through our downpayment assistance program to help more Atlantans benefit from homeownership.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"background:white\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#323130\"\u003eOur\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#0563C1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/homebuyers/homebuyer-programs-downpayment-assistance\"\u003edownpayment assistance programs\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/u\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#323130\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;provide forgivable loans to new homebuyers in amounts up to $14,000 to cover down payments and closing costs. For many would-be homeowners, these funds make the difference between years of renting and owning a tangible wealth-building asset.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"background:white\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#323130\"\u003eThere are few things more fulfilling in my job than hearing the stories of\u0026nbsp; homebuyers we have helped, like Corrine Collins. After living with her mother while working as a paralegal, she came across Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s downpayment assistance program.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"background:white\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#323130\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was almost in disbelief when I learned about these incentives,\u0026rdquo; says Corinne. \u0026ldquo;To think that Invest Atlanta would contribute toward my down payment \u0026ndash; and I don\u0026rsquo;t have to repay it \u0026ndash; you just can\u0026rsquo;t beat that \u0026hellip; It\u0026rsquo;s a great feeling knowing that, with the help of Invest Atlanta, I own this home and am building equity in my community.\u0026rdquo;\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"background:white\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#323130\"\u003eAs we continue to build a more equitable city under the leadership of Mayor Bottoms and her One Atlanta vision, Corrinne Collins and the nearly 1,200 homeowners we have supported with downpayment assistance since 2010 make me so proud of the work we do every day to make Atlanta a place where everyone can thrive.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"background:white\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#323130\"\u003e#IamIA\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"ceo-message-providing-a-more-equitable-path-to-wealth-creation-through-homeownership","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"47YdxQ","created_at":"2019-06-24T08:44:20.126-04:00","updated_at":"2019-06-24T08:44:58.254-04:00"},{"id":35,"title":"CEO Message: Celebrating Economic Development","published_date":"2019-05-17","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Earlier this month, the International Economic Development Council celebrated Economic Development Week. The celebration raises awareness about what organizations like Invest Atlanta are doing to facilitate living wage jobs, support access to capital programs for small businesses, provide affordable housing options and increase the quality of life-place for our residents.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEarlier this month, the International Economic Development Council celebrated \u003ca href=\"https://www.iedconline.org/web-pages/accritest/2019-economic-development-week/\"\u003eEconomic Development Week\u003c/a\u003e. The celebration raises awareness about what organizations like Invest Atlanta are doing to facilitate living wage jobs, support access to capital programs for small businesses, provide affordable housing options and increase the quality of life-place for our residents.\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nAnd there was no better way to start the week than receiving the \u003ca href=\"https://siteselection.com/issues/2019/may/2019-mac-conway-awards.cfm\"\u003eMac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development\u003c/a\u003e. Site Selection Magazine honored the country\u0026rsquo;s top agencies based on their work delivering prosperity to their respective communities, and this year, they named Invest Atlanta among the nation\u0026rsquo;s best. Specifically, they cited our innovative new programs like the \u003ca href=\"/businesses/startups-creatives/creative-industries-loan-fund\"\u003eCreative Industries Loan Fund\u003c/a\u003e, which coincidentally \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/impact-insights/screen-lloyd-the-first-creative-industries-loan-fund-recipient\"\u003eclosed its first loan\u003c/a\u003e only a few weeks ago; as well as our work attracting Fortune 500 companies!\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nFor me, this Award demonstrates that we are on the right path as we enact the \u003ca href=\"https://www.atlantaga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/11595/1338\"\u003eOne Atlanta\u003c/a\u003e vision put forward by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The work we\u0026rsquo;re doing goes well beyond business attraction and retention\u0026mdash;from our support for affordable housing (with a few more \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/impact-insights/new-co-living-model-provides-new-pathway-to-affordable-housing\"\u003ebig wins\u003c/a\u003e this month) to the \u003ca href=\"/homebuyers/homebuyer-programs-downpayment-assistance\"\u003edownpayment assistance\u003c/a\u003e we provide homebuyers to our \u003ca href=\"/businesses/small-businesses/small-business-loan-programs\"\u003esmall business loan programs\u003c/a\u003e\u0026mdash;we\u0026rsquo;re always focused on improving the lives of all our residents.\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nFor example, our \u003ca href=\"/homebuyers/owner-occupied-rehab\"\u003eHeritage Owner-Occupied Rehab\u003c/a\u003e program is helping our legacy residents stay in their homes. We\u0026rsquo;re making a tangible difference for residents like Robert Fisher, who\u0026rsquo;s lived in East Atlanta for 45 years and was able to make necessary health and safety upgrades necessary for him to stay in his home.\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u0026ldquo;I think it\u0026rsquo;s a beneficial program for people that plan to stay in their homes,\u0026rdquo; his daughter told us recently. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s worthwhile, especially if you\u0026rsquo;ve got many things you want to have repaired and you\u0026rsquo;re on a fixed income, you can\u0026rsquo;t afford to get it done yourself. So it\u0026rsquo;s beneficial, very beneficial.\u0026rdquo;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nTestimonials like this, more than award we could ever receive, remind me how important the work we do truly is. It is a privilege and honor for me to serve the Atlanta community.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"ceo-message-celebrating-economic-development","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"xnmjsQ","created_at":"2019-05-17T15:51:44.919-04:00","updated_at":"2019-05-17T15:51:44.919-04:00"},{"id":34,"title":"CEO Message: Financial Literacy \u0026 Economic Development","published_date":"2019-04-22","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n April is Financial Literacy Month, a time to spread the word on the importance of lifelong financial education and its impact on inclusion, equity, and the overall well-being of our communities.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eApril is Financial Literacy Month, a time to spread the word on the importance of lifelong financial education and its impact on inclusion, equity, and the overall well-being of our communities. Financial literacy is intertwined with economic mobility and is vital to communities where limited banking options leave residents relying on alternative service providers such as check-cashing or payday lending establishments that can perpetuate cycles of poverty.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eInvest Atlanta is actively participating in events throughout Atlanta to raise awareness about this issue and to help more of our residents on the path to participating in our homeownership programs.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe recently hosted a sold-out panel discussion at Atlanta Technical College with experts from Resources for Residents and Communities, Regions Bank, the Georgia Student Finance Commission, and State Farm there to answer questions on money matters.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eEarlier this month, we joined the City of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s Bank On Community Kick Event, where residents had the opportunity to speak with banking and government professionals about gaining access to capital, as well as learn about the additional resources available to them, such as homeownership classes, credit counseling, and more.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eInvest Atlanta has long supported financial literacy efforts. The On the Rise Financial Center, located in the Westside, \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/impact-insights/new-westside-financial-capability-center-receives-tad-support\"\u003ereceived a $100,000 Westside TAD Community Improvement Fund Grant\u003c/a\u003e in 2016. Since it \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/impact-insights/on-the-rise-financial-center-opens-on-westside\"\u003eopened in April 2017\u003c/a\u003e, the Center has offered high-quality financial counseling, entrepreneurship training, and homeownership education to local residents.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe understand that financial literacy is a critical component of the inclusionary economic development; hence, we look forward to continuing our support of high-quality personal and business financial education, throughout the month of April and for years to come.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"ceo-message-financial-literacy-economic-development","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"NOFinw","created_at":"2019-04-22T08:33:14.022-04:00","updated_at":"2019-04-22T08:33:14.022-04:00"},{"id":33,"title":"CEO Message: She believed she could, so she did","published_date":"2019-03-26","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n March is Women\u0026rsquo;s History Month, and in celebration, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms wore a shirt to her State of the City address that read, \u0026ldquo;She believed she could, so she did.\u0026rdquo; Mayor Bottoms spoke about how the quote encapsulates the spirit of Atlanta. This spirit is alive and well within our city\u0026rsquo;s many women business owners, entrepreneurs\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;proud government employees.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003eMarch is Women\u0026rsquo;s History Month, and in celebration, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms wore a shirt to her State of the City address that read, \u0026ldquo;She believed she could, and so she did.\u0026rdquo; Mayor Bottoms spoke about how the quote encapsulates the spirit of Atlanta. This spirit is alive and well within our city\u0026rsquo;s many women business owners, entrepreneurs and proud government employees.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003eFour out of every ten Atlanta-area businesses are women-owned, and Atlanta is a \u003cspan class=\"xmsohyperlink\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:\r\n#0563C1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/vn/press-releases/2018-07-16-dell-research-ranks-global-cities-on-ability-to-foster-women-enterpreneurship\"\u003etop global city\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e for fostering women entrepreneurship. Atlanta had the \u003cspan class=\"xmsohyperlink\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#0563C1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.inc.com/sophie-downes/2018-inc5000-top-10-cities-fast-growing-women-owned-companies.html\"\u003ethird most women-owned businesses\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e on last year\u0026rsquo;s Inc. 5000, with 15, and the state of Georgia had \u003cspan class=\"xmsohyperlink\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#0563C1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://about.americanexpress.com/press-release/research-insights/number-women-owned-businesses-increased-nearly-3000-1972-according\"\u003ethe second-fastest growth rate\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e from 2007 to 2018 in terms of the number of women-owned businesses.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003eThe Mayor, the City of Atlanta, and Invest Atlanta are working every day to continue to open up opportunities for our female founders. In 2015, Atlanta became the first U.S. city to fund and launch a business incubator for 100% women-owned ventures, the \u003cspan class=\"xmsohyperlink\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#0563C1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.weiatlanta.com/\"\u003eWomen\u0026rsquo;s Entrepreneurship Initiative\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e (WEI). WEI is currently providing its \u003cspan class=\"xmsohyperlink\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#0563C1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://hypepotamus.com/news/womens-entrepreneurship-initiative-new-partnerships-jumpfund/\"\u003esecond cohort\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e of participants with access to financial, thought and human capital.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003eInvest Atlanta has provided many female-owned businesses with support in recent years. Clean energy company Emrgy benefited from a close partnership with the City and Invest Atlanta. \u0026ldquo;We have a very supportive city government,\u0026rdquo; CEO and Founder Emily Morris told us. \u0026ldquo;We believe Atlanta is the best place to start a business given these various support activities they city can and does actively do for startups.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003eCharlie Whitfield, CEO of Whitty IT Solutions, has gone from running a single-person operation to managing 16 employees, thanks to support from Invest Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003eAnd a small business loan helped two women expand The Nest, a neighborhood nursery school in Grant Park.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;[Invest Atlanta wants] to help you, they want to support small businesses and make our larger community better,\u0026rdquo; said Nest co-founder Mandy Palmer.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003eWe wish you all a wonderful Women\u0026rsquo;s History Month, and as Mayor Bottoms said earlier this month:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;Atlanta, I believe we can, and so we will.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003e- Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President \u0026amp; CEO, Invest Atlanta\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"xmsonormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e \u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"ceo-message-she-believed","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"1gGd-Q","created_at":"2019-03-25T14:58:26.035-04:00","updated_at":"2019-03-27T09:44:57.819-04:00"},{"id":32,"title":"CEO Message: For a Thriving Atlanta","published_date":"2019-02-25","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Working under the leadership of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, I\u0026rsquo;m tremendously proud of all we\u0026rsquo;ve accomplished in 2018 in alignment with her One Atlanta vision.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWorking under the leadership of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, I\u0026rsquo;m tremendously proud of all we\u0026rsquo;ve accomplished in 2018 in alignment with her One Atlanta vision.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;ve worked closely with our partners to aggressively invest in programs that revive blighted properties, that provide quality, safe accommodations for our families and seniors and that keep long-time residents in their homes.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe also launched a robust initiative to bring transformative investment and resources to support Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s southside businesses. We successfully launched the \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/businesses/startups-creatives/students2startups\"\u003eStudents2Startups\u003c/a\u003e program to help Atlanta-based students to complete entrepreneurial-focused internships with local startups. (And we\u0026rsquo;re ready to build on these successes \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/businesses/startups-creatives/students2startups\"\u003ethis year\u003c/a\u003e!) We secured approval to develop The Gulch \u0026ndash; estimated to be the single largest development in Atlanta in nearly 50 years \u0026ndash; which will revitalize a long-underdeveloped area of Downtown Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s more, we helped dozens of companies plant and grow their roots in Atlanta, including Norfolk Southern, a Fortune 500 that is bringing their headquarters to Atlanta along 850 new jobs.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2018, we supported the creation and retention of 10,832 jobs, 926 affordable housing units, and $1.6 billion in capital investment.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThese numbers and our new innovative programs reflect both the range of our efforts and the scope of our strategy. Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s priorities change and evolve based on the needs of Atlantans. We listen to what our leaders, businesses, civic organizations and residents have to say and respond with creative, holistic solutions.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIndeed, it\u0026rsquo;s a partnership that has helped Atlanta \u0026ndash; and everyone who calls it home \u0026ndash; thrive in 2018. You can read all about in our Annual Report, available for download \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/about-us/statements-records\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nPresident \u0026amp; CEO, Invest Atlanta\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"for-a-thriving-atlanta","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"L7D5FQ","created_at":"2019-02-25T13:53:14.800-05:00","updated_at":"2019-02-25T13:54:12.634-05:00"},{"id":31,"title":"To All City of Atlanta Businesses: Thank You","published_date":"2018-11-29","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n As we head into the holiday season, we have one simple message to all our city\u0026rsquo;s businesses \u0026hellip;\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eThank You for choosing Atlanta\u003c/em\u003e!\u0026nbsp;\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOur Southside neighborhoods of Atlanta are home to an estimated 3,300 businesses, which generate $3 billion in revenue and employ more than 43,000 people.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eHence we are so excited to join with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, along with our economic and community partners, to launch new initiatives aimed at supporting businesses on Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s Southside.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThese efforts include the introduction of Erika Smith as our first Southside Community \u0026amp; Economic Development Manager, as well as new small business improvement grant programs with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Wells Fargo and Rebuilding Together Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs we launch these initiatives alongside our ongoing small business support, we\u0026rsquo;re also doing something I don\u0026rsquo;t believe has ever been done by the City of Atlanta. We\u0026rsquo;re saying, \u0026ldquo;Thank you\u0026rdquo; to the 26,000 businesses operating in our city.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of the ongoing campaign, we sent a digital thank you note from Mayor Bottoms to every business in Atlanta. I\u0026rsquo;m happy to report the responses have been great. One business owner this kind note back to us:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin-left:.5in;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eI have been in business for 46 years and this is the first time I have received such a note. Bully for you.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re also visiting businesses to hand deliver \u0026ldquo;thank you\u0026rdquo; cards and chat with them about their needs. (Check out our most recent visits on social media with the hashtag \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ATLInBusiness\u0026amp;src=typd\"\u003e#ATLInBusiness\u003c/a\u003e.)\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;ve also recently launched \u003ca href=\"https://www.atlinbusiness.com/\"\u003eATLInBusiness.com\u003c/a\u003e with the Mayor\u0026rsquo;s Office of International Affairs, Welcoming Atlanta, and the Women\u0026rsquo;s Entrepreneurship Initiative. This tool will help small businesses to plan, start, grow and manage a business. It\u0026rsquo;s a one-stop-shop to provide businesses with easy access to information on resources available through the City of Atlanta, Invest Atlanta, the Small Business Administration, and others.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs we head into the holiday season, we have one simple message to all our city\u0026rsquo;s businesses \u0026hellip; \u003cem\u003eThank You for choosing Atlanta\u003c/em\u003e!\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"to-all-city-of-atlanta-businesses-thank-you","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"OeILVw","created_at":"2018-11-29T08:42:09.606-05:00","updated_at":"2018-11-29T08:42:09.606-05:00"},{"id":30,"title":"October 2018: Inclusive Economic Development","published_date":"2018-10-19","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Not only did a record number of ED professionals attend the IEDC Annual Conference in Atlanta, but its theme of \u0026ldquo;Inclusive Economic Development\u0026rdquo; goes to the heart of everything we are doing here at Invest Atlanta.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThis year, it was our pleasure to welcome the annual International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Conference to Atlanta. Not only did a record number of ED professionals attend (more than 1,600), but this year\u0026rsquo;s theme of \u0026ldquo;Inclusive Economic Development\u0026rdquo; goes to the heart of everything we are doing here at Invest Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAt the conference, I was invited to present as part of the conference\u0026rsquo;s annual ED Talks feature. I spoke about how large metro areas like ours need to develop truly regional strategies around workforce, transportation, and affordability.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eBut I was truly blown away by a fellow presenter, Edward Elivah \u0026ldquo;Eli\u0026rdquo; Hamner, a military veteran living in Atlanta who struggled with addition and homelessness for years. He spoke about how the non-profit organization \u0026ldquo;Back on My Feet\u0026rdquo; provided the support and training he needed to get back into the workforce. Today, Eli works at the JW Marriott Atlanta and is earning his degree in HVAC/R from Atlanta Technical College. Eli\u0026rsquo;s story shows just how impactful these types of programs can be in helping people gain a foothold on the economic ladder\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI was also glad to have members of our staff share their expertise on two panels. One focused on the creative economy and how efforts like our \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/businesses/startups-creatives/creative-industries-loan-fund\"\u003eCreative Industries Loan Fund\u003c/a\u003e can help independent creators turn their project ideas into a reality. The other talked about the \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/impact-insights/westside-community-builders-program-officially-launched\"\u003eCommunity Builders Program\u003c/a\u003e we launched last year to train Westside residents on how to redevelop vacant and blighted properties.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eTo cap things off, members of our team took the stage to accept two IEDC Excellence in Economic Awards: the first for our I-85 Alive Business Rapid Response project in the BRE Single Event category, and the second in the brand-new \u0026ldquo;Equity and Diversity\u0026rdquo; category for our economic and community development work within the Westside Tax Allocation District.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe would like to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended, and we look forward to seeing you at next year\u0026rsquo;s conference!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e- Dr. Eloisa Klementich\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"october-2018-inclusive-economic-development","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"rnNCDw","created_at":"2018-10-19T14:27:59.526-04:00","updated_at":"2018-10-19T14:33:56.899-04:00"},{"id":29,"title":"September 2018: Moving Forward With the Atlanta Affordable Housing Playbook ","published_date":"2018-09-25","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n We will\u0026nbsp;continue to use every program and tool at our disposal, with the goal of expanding the housing options available to Atlanta families across a wide range of neighborhoods, ages, and incomes.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThree years ago, Invest Atlanta, the Atlanta Housing Authority, City of Atlanta and Atlanta Beltline, Inc. came together to develop an updated housing strategy. Working with HR\u0026amp;A Advisors and Enterprise Community Partners, our agencies put a stake in the ground for what we wanted to accomplish within the decade.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe goals we set out in the strategy were ambitious: to reduce the number of Atlanta households paying 30%+ of their income on housing by 10% by 2020 and create or retain 10,000 residential units for a range of incomes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThese past few months have been provided so many wonderful examples of how the City of Atlanta is making progress on multiple fronts. In August alone, Invest Atlanta closed on financing for three key multifamily developments\u0026mdash;Rolling Bends II, Springview Apartments, and Capitol View Apartments\u0026mdash;all of which will provide affordable housing units for those earning 60% or below the Area Median Income (AMI).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eA few weeks ago, I helped cut the ribbon on the Gateway Capitol View senior housing development. Every one of the 162 senior families residing their will pay no more than 30% of their income on rent.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd at last Thursday\u0026rsquo;s monthly meeting, our Board of Directors under the leadership of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms took action to support several more Atlanta housing developments. One of the developments, 161 Peachtree, will be built on top of an existing parking garage in the heart of Downtown and will offer 70 units of workforce housing available to families earning 80% of AMI or below.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eLooking ahead, we\u0026rsquo;ll continue to use every program and tool at our disposal, with the goal of expanding the housing options available to Atlanta families across a wide range of neighborhoods, ages, and incomes.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e- Dr. Eloisa Klementich\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"moving-forward-with-the-atlanta-affordable-housing-playbook","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"w-jWAA","created_at":"2018-09-25T08:42:55.200-04:00","updated_at":"2018-10-19T14:28:21.511-04:00"},{"id":28,"title":"July 2018: Small Businesses Are the Bedrock of Atlanta’s Economy","published_date":"2018-07-18","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n So much of the work we do at Invest Atlanta involves supporting the nearly 20,000 small businesses operating within our city.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAtlanta is known as a hub of Fortune 500 companies. After all, 15 Fortune 500 companies call our city home, including iconic global brands like Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, and UPS.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eYet so much of the work we do at Invest Atlanta involves supporting the nearly 20,000 small businesses operating within our city. Ninety-five percent of all Atlanta businesses have 50 employees or less, and we\u0026rsquo;re proud to provide financial support, business assistance, and innovative new initiatives to help companies of all sizes thrive.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThrough our small business loan programs, since 2001 we have closed 188 loans representing $11.6 million, which in turn has helped leverage $43.2 million in total investment. Businesses representing a wide variety of industries\u0026mdash;businesses like The Spotted Trotter, The Good Hair Shop, NaanStop, Atlanta Movie Tours, and so many more\u0026mdash;are thriving in neighborhoods thanks in part to the support they received from us in their early stages. And every day, our Business Retention and Expansion team is reaching out to businesses to provide them with \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/businesses/startups-creatives/business-assistance\"\u003ecritical services\u003c/a\u003e like site selection assistance and advocacy assistance.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFor those at the very start of their journeys as entrepreneurs, we\u0026rsquo;ve offered support through \u003ca href=\"http://www.startupatlanta.com/\"\u003eStartup Atlanta\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.atlstartupexchange.com/\"\u003eAtlanta International Startup Exchange\u003c/a\u003e. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/businesses/startups-creatives/students2startups\"\u003eStudents2Startups\u003c/a\u003e initiative, a joint effort we launched this year with WorkSource Atlanta, matches area college students with local startups. The program helps students gain invaluable startup experience through paid internships, while helping Atlanta startups find the talent they need from our world-class college and universities. (\u0026ldquo;\u003ca href=\"https://www.investatlanta.com/impact-insights/first-group-of-students2startups-participants-praise-the-program\"\u003eIt has been amazing\u003c/a\u003e,\u0026rdquo; Dannielle Boozer, the Director of Marketing at Rented, said about the program recently. \u0026ldquo;Working with the team has been great.\u0026rdquo;)\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe these efforts\u0026mdash;along with those being made under the leadership of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the City of Atlanta, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.weiatlanta.com/\"\u003eWomen\u0026rsquo;s Entrepreneurship Initiative\u003c/a\u003e, and others\u0026mdash;will further strengthen Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s reputation as a \u003ca href=\"https://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-cities-for-startups/\"\u003etop-ranked city\u003c/a\u003e for entrepreneurs, especially for \u003ca href=\"https://www.expertmarket.com/focus/research/best-cities-for-minority-entrepreneurs\"\u003eminority-\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-states-for-women-entrepreneurs/\"\u003efemale-owned\u003c/a\u003e ventures.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"july-2018-small-businesses-are-the-bedrock-of-atlantas-economy","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"qsa-DA","created_at":"2018-07-18T15:23:12.404-04:00","updated_at":"2018-07-19T08:19:33.179-04:00"},{"id":27,"title":"June 2018: Supporting Business Opportunities for All","published_date":"2018-06-19","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n The dream of business ownership knocks on many people\u0026rsquo;s doors, including immigrants. And when the dream comes alive, Invest Atlanta is there to provide support.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eJune is Immigrant History Month, and as the proud daughter of immigrants, it\u0026rsquo;s an especially important time for me. My mother is from Mexico, and my dad is from Serbia. (Family reunions were always interesting affairs.) My parents came here to pursue the American Dream, and like so many other immigrant families, they showed that through hard work and perseverance, they could succeed in their new home.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eOur city, region, and state are full of stories like mine. Metro Atlanta has the second-fastest growing foreign-born population in the country, and Georgia immigrant businesses generate $2.9 billion in annual business revenue, representing 12% of the total. Nationally, immigrants pursue entrepreneurship at a higher rate (6.6%) than the native-born (4.5%). And 40% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or children of immigrants.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eHere in the City of Atlanta, Invest Atlanta has a keen focus on stimulating business opportunities for all. We are all about \u0026quot;facilitating the dream\u0026quot;! The dream of business ownership knocks on many people\u0026rsquo;s doors, including immigrants. Invest Atlanta is there to provide support.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, we have supported Neal and Samir Idnani, the owners of NaanStop, from the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey through our small business loan programs. Their mother came to the U.S. from northeast India, bringing with her the recipes the Idnani brothers have shared with their customers. They will soon open their third Atlanta location at Atlantic Station.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs we celebrate immigrant families like the Idnani\u0026rsquo;s and so many others, I will continue to work closely with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Welcoming Atlanta to ensure we build upon our tradition as being a diverse and inclusive city.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"june-2018-supporting-business-opportunities-for-all","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"8FCV2A","created_at":"2018-06-19T17:03:23.997-04:00","updated_at":"2018-06-25T11:17:32.673-04:00"},{"id":26,"title":"May 2018: Keeping People in Their Homes and Neighborhoods","published_date":"2018-05-15","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Resident retention is a cornerstone of our community development strategy, which is why Invest Atlanta recently launched the Heritage Owner-Occupied Rehab program.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eResident retention is a cornerstone of our community development strategy, which is why Invest Atlanta recently launched the Heritage Owner-Occupied Rehab program.\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nThis new housing initiative offers residents forgivable loans to make critical health and safety repairs on their homes. While many homeowners may decide to sell and move elsewhere, we wanted to ensure more of our legacy residents\u0026mdash;the bedrock of our communities\u0026mdash;were not being displaced because they could not afford the repairs required to live safely in their homes.\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nLast year, we launched a pilot version of the program in the Westside TAD neighborhoods of English Avenue, Vine City, and portions of Castleberry Hill. We assisted homeowners like Linda Graham, who told us once the work was complete: \u0026ldquo;I have such a deep gratitude for Invest Atlanta and am so tickled with all the work that was done.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nBuilding from the pilot, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in March announced a $9 million investment to take Owner-occupied rehab citywide. Since then, we have received around 500 applications, demonstrating not only residents\u0026rsquo; need for assistance but also the case for additional funding.\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nThis one of the reasons why the Invest Atlanta Board of Directors is set to approve $2.4 million from the Westside TAD Community Improvement Fund to scale up the program in Westside neighborhoods. We\u0026rsquo;re excited to support Westside residents with this additional funding \u0026ndash; grants that can help with a leaky roof, plumbing, electrical work, foundation repairs and other necessities.\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\nOwner-occupied rehab is only a part of Mayor Bottoms\u0026rsquo; overall anti-displacement strategy. We look forward to working closely with the Mayor, the City of Atlanta, and our philanthropic partners on programs that enable our longtime residents to remain in the neighborhoods they helped build.\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"may-2018-keeping-people-in-their-homes-and-neighborhoods","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"15k8jw","created_at":"2018-05-15T09:43:45.293-04:00","updated_at":"2018-05-15T09:43:45.293-04:00"},{"id":25,"title":"April 2018: Students2Startups All About Keeping Atlanta’s Talent","published_date":"2018-04-18","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n The Students2Startups program will help us retain more of our talent.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOne of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s greatest strengths is the large, diverse talent pool we offer companies looking to relocate or expand in the city. According to the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education, there are more than 570,000 students enrolled each year in the metro area\u0026rsquo;s 57 colleges and universities.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAt Invest Atlanta, we are focused on ensuring more of this top talent stays here. The best way to keep them is through a job, and that\u0026rsquo;s why we\u0026rsquo;ve just launched the Students2Startups program with our partners at WorkSource Atlanta, Startup Atlanta, and area higher education institutions. The program is in a pilot phase and will allow local startups to offer paid internships to 18 Atlanta students.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe idea for Students2Startups came to us through the feedback we\u0026rsquo;d heard about the need to make it easier for students to stay in Atlanta. The number one reason companies choose to locate in Atlanta is richness of our talent base. With WorkSource Atlanta, we will offer more students the opportunity to build their skill set and job experience with companies here in the city.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe are also to cultivating a very important market sector \u0026ndash; Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s startup and entrepreneurial community. Startups are the companies who will build the great ideas of tomorrow, and we want them to be successful here. However, many startups simply don\u0026rsquo;t have the resources to quickly bring on new talent, especially in the early stages. Students2Startups internships will offer growing companies an opportunity to address their talent needs and more students hands-on experience and mentoring to launch a career. It\u0026rsquo;s a win for startups, a win for students and a win for Atlanta as we continue to nurture and retain our best talent.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026rsquo;re excited about the program\u0026rsquo;s launch, and we look forward to growing it next year with even more partners.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"april-2018-students2startups-all-about-keeping-atlantas-talent","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"W2q4aw","created_at":"2018-04-18T09:04:13.618-04:00","updated_at":"2018-04-18T09:04:13.618-04:00"},{"id":24,"title":"March 2018: Fostering Equitable Economic Growth and Mobility","published_date":"2018-03-13","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Under the leadership of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, we will continue to work closely with residents, our partners, companies, city and state government, and others to ensure our economic vitality is sustainable for the future.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOn Tuesday, March 13, I had the honor of delivering a keynote speech at Greenprints 2018, a sustainability conference hosted by Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s Southface Energy Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eSitting down to write my remarks, I soon realized sustainability means different things to people. It can mean getting more electricity from renewable energy sources or working to make our building practices greener.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFor Invest Atlanta, we think of it in terms of fostering sustainable communities through equitable economic growth and mobility. But it really comes down to one thing for us \u0026ndash; keeping our economy moving forward by supporting the people of Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eInvest Atlanta supports people like Kiyomi Rollins, the owner of The Good Hair Shop, who opened her new location in Southwest Atlanta thanks to a small business loan from Invest Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe support people like Linda Graham, a Vine City resident for 25 years who participated in our Owner-Occupied Rehab program and received critical long-term safety repairs to her home.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd we work every day for people like Ms. Annie Ruth Gay, who after four years of working with our team, received homeownership incentives to allow her to purchase her first home \u0026ndash; at the age of 76!\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThere is still much more work to do, and Invest Atlanta will use every tool at our disposable to support equitable growth and mobility for all Atlantans. Under the leadership of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, we will continue to work closely with residents, our partners, companies, city and state government, and others to ensure our economic vitality is sustainable for the future.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"march-2018-fostering-equitable-economic-growth-and-mobility","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"wHgkRQ","created_at":"2018-03-13T16:52:19.068-04:00","updated_at":"2018-03-13T16:52:32.185-04:00"},{"id":23,"title":"February 2018: Building On Our Success","published_date":"2018-02-14","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n As Invest Atlanta begins a new year and welcomes our new Board Chair, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, it\u0026rsquo;s a good time to reflect on everything we accomplished in 2017.\u003cbr /\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAs Invest Atlanta begins a new year and welcomes our new Board Chair, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, it\u0026rsquo;s a good time to reflect on everything we accomplished in 2017.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eLast year, we supported the creation of nearly 14,000 jobs and a total of $2 billion in new capital investment. We had a banner year in our work around affordable housing, helping to retain and create 1,962 affordable rental units\u0026mdash;a more than three-fold increase over the previous year. We also provided 73 homebuyer incentives to help more people achieve the dream of homeownership. Meanwhile, we supported $2.5 million in capital investment through our small business loan programs.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eBut the numbers only tell part of our story. Over the past year, we launched several new programs and tools to stay ahead of this growth and bridge our people, businesses, and communities together. These innovative initiatives include our new 20Plus homeownership incentive; an Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation pilot program in the Westside; Community Builders, a program that provides small-scale developer training to Westside residents;the iVillage @ MLK, and the Creative Industries Loan Fund.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI look forward to building on our success under the leadership Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s new mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, in the years to come. Together, we will continue our mission of making Atlanta the most dynamic and competitive city in the world, while continuing to move forward on issues like affordable housing, equity, workforce training, and mobility.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-eloisa-klementich-cecd-b293a315?authType=NAME_SEARCH\u0026amp;authToken=8D7S\u0026amp;locale=en_US\u0026amp;trk=tyah\u0026amp;trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A51722385%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1457962995432%2Ctas%3Aeloisa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"february-2018-building-on-our-success","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"OZjYAw","created_at":"2018-02-20T11:55:24.572-05:00","updated_at":"2018-02-20T11:55:24.572-05:00"},{"id":21,"title":"January 2018: Furthering That “Atlanta Magic”","published_date":"2018-01-05","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Importantly, Mayor Bottoms delivered a message of inclusion, a call for all of us to \u0026ldquo;put aside race and division and geography and politics, and invest in becoming One Atlanta.\u0026rdquo; To do that, she promised to focus on many of the critical issues facing our city, including transparency, education, public safety, and transit.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOn January 2, 2018, the Honorable Keisha Lance Bottoms was sworn in as the City of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s 60th\u0026nbsp;Mayor. She delivered an important and inspirational address at the ceremony, and I urge everyone to read it in its entirety\u0026nbsp;\u003ca href=\"https://www.atlantaga.gov/home/showdocument?id=33298\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eImportantly, Mayor Bottoms delivered a message of inclusion, a call for all of us to \u0026ldquo;put aside race and division and geography and politics, and invest in becoming One Atlanta.\u0026rdquo; To do that, she promised to focus on many of the critical issues facing our city, including transparency, education, public safety, and transit.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd she also spoke in support of the mission on which Invest Atlanta will remain focused on over the next few years: increasing prosperity through our economic development efforts, while also steadfastly working to improve equity and affordability. In fact, she called for a total $1 billion in public and private investment to use toward housing affordability, and the creation of commissions focused solely on the issues of economic development and workforce training.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI speak for everyone at Invest Atlanta when I say our organization is excited to begin work on these issues under the leadership of Mayor Bottoms, our new Board Chair. Together, I know we can continue to create the \u0026ldquo;Atlanta magic\u0026rdquo; that has helped make our city one of the most vibrant and dynamic in the world.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-eloisa-klementich-cecd-b293a315?authType=NAME_SEARCH\u0026amp;authToken=8D7S\u0026amp;locale=en_US\u0026amp;trk=tyah\u0026amp;trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A51722385%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1457962995432%2Ctas%3Aeloisa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"january-2018-furthering-that-atlanta-magic","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"YFIlrQ","created_at":"2018-02-04T13:34:41.315-05:00","updated_at":"2018-02-06T13:21:57.855-05:00"},{"id":22,"title":"December 2017: Thank you, Mayor Reed","published_date":"2017-12-08","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n As his tenure comes to an end, I wanted to personally thank Mayor Reed for being a true champion of economic and community development in the City of Atlanta.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWhen Mayor Reed took office in 2010, the city was in the midst one of the worst recessions in our nation\u0026rsquo;s history. He had the foresight and vision to guide Atlanta out of the economic downturn through a renewed focus on attracting business investment and revitalizing our communities. By reimagining and reinvigorating Invest Atlanta, Mayor Reed has led the way to make unprecedented investments in economic development programs, enabling us to use innovative new tools to attract and retain businesses in Atlanta. He has also worked tirelessly to revitalize neighborhoods by expanding affordable housing and homeownership programs so more people can live in-town near good jobs, schools and amenities, making Atlanta a place for all.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"360\" mozallowfullscreen=\"\" src=\"https://player.vimeo.com/video/248220143\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"640\"\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eSince 2010, Mayor Reed and Invest Atlanta has helped generate more than 40,000 new jobs, $5.6 billion in total capital investment, and $15.4 billion in economic output. And together, we\u0026rsquo;ve made our communities throughout Atlanta more vibrant, prosperous, greatly expanded opportunities for homeownership, and supported the creation of 4,100 new units of affordable housing.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThanks to Mayor Reed\u0026rsquo;s passion, commitment, and dedication, the City of Atlanta is now more than ever a city where everyone can bring and build their dreams.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eOn behalf of the entire Invest Atlanta team, thank you Mayor Reed.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-eloisa-klementich-cecd-b293a315?authType=NAME_SEARCH\u0026amp;authToken=8D7S\u0026amp;locale=en_US\u0026amp;trk=tyah\u0026amp;trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A51722385%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1457962995432%2Ctas%3Aeloisa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\nPRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https://vimeo.com/248220143\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"december-2017-thank-you-mayor-reed","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"z22u3Q","created_at":"2018-02-04T13:37:52.130-05:00","updated_at":"2018-02-04T13:39:49.909-05:00"},{"id":20,"title":"November 2017: Encouraging Regional Economic Mobility","published_date":"2017-11-15","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Earlier this month, I spoke to more than 1,300 metro Atlanta business, government, and non-profit leaders at the Atlanta Regional Commission\u0026rsquo;s annual State of the Region Breakfast. I was honored to be part of a brand-new Ted Talk-inspired speaker series called \u0026ldquo;\u003ca href=\"https://atlantaregional.org/news/the-atlanta-region/state-region-breakfast-celebrates-power-collaboration/\"\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s Next ATL\u003c/a\u003e.\u0026rdquo; Joining me on the stage were Ellen Dunham-Jones, the director of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Urban Design Program, and Wanis Kabbaj, the director of global strategy for healthcare logistics at UPS.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEarlier this month, I spoke to more than 1,300 metro Atlanta business, government, and non-profit leaders at the Atlanta Regional Commission\u0026rsquo;s annual State of the Region Breakfast. I was honored to be part of a brand-new Ted Talk-inspired speaker series called \u0026ldquo;\u003ca href=\"https://atlantaregional.org/news/the-atlanta-region/state-region-breakfast-celebrates-power-collaboration/\"\u003eWhat\u0026rsquo;s Next ATL\u003c/a\u003e.\u0026rdquo; Joining me on the stage were Ellen Dunham-Jones, the director of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Urban Design Program, and Wanis Kabbaj, the director of global strategy for healthcare logistics at UPS.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs the President and CEO of Invest Atlanta, I chose a topic of profound importance to our organization: economic mobility.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eLooking back almost 50 years, the middle class has shrunk from 62% of the population in 1970 to just 43% in 2015, and economic opportunity become out of reach for too many families. To reverse this trend, we need to implement a regional economic growth strategy focused on equitable economic mobility. Many factors should support this strategy, including making focused investments in education, healthcare, and technology. But I focused on three areas where I believe we could have the greatest impact: training, mobility, and housing.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, we need to upskill our workforce so individuals can make a higher wage to close the income disparity gap. A 10% reduction in poverty would translate to almost $850 million for metro Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economy. Second, mobility must be undertaken as a region, not as individual cities or counties, to make it easier for people to get from where they live to where they work. Lowering a worker\u0026rsquo;s commute time by just one hour per week effectively increases that worker\u0026rsquo;s salary by almost $1,000 annually. Finally, we need to work together to support the retention and creation of affordable workforce housing near our job centers. Right now, the average household in our region spends an average of 63% of their income on transportation and housing. If we decease that spend by just 5%, these families would have an additional $550 million in their budgets.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe theme of this year\u0026rsquo;s ARC event was \u0026ldquo;The Power of Collaboration,\u0026rdquo; and I look forward to working together\u0026mdash;as a region\u0026mdash;with other leaders on these issues in the years ahead. By doing so, we\u0026rsquo;ll not only create opportunity for our residents, we\u0026rsquo;ll increase also Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s long-term economic vitality and competitiveness.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"encouraging-regional-economic-mobility","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"_WLUGg","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:43:02.743-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:15:31.361-05:00"},{"id":1,"title":"October 2017: Supporting Financial Technology and Inclusion","published_date":"2017-10-17","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n It\u0026rsquo;s no secret that Atlanta has become a global destination for financial and payments technology, and our region has even earned the nickname \u0026ldquo;Transaction Alley.\u0026rdquo;\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s no secret that Atlanta has become a global destination for financial and payments technology, and our region has even earned the nickname \u0026ldquo;Transaction Alley.\u0026rdquo; Fintech companies in Georgia generate annual revenues of more than $72 billion, placing us third in the nation behind only New York and California, and employ more than 30,000 people. It\u0026rsquo;s an industry sector targeted for economic growth in our region, and Invest Atlanta continues to support various public-private efforts to achieve this.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eFor example, last week I had the honor of representing the City of Atlanta at P20 in London, a global conference for the payments industry. This inaugural event brought together 20 of the most influential leaders in the global payments industry along with top UK and U.S. government officials and regulators to highlight the importance of payments and fintech to the world economy. It\u0026rsquo;s part of a transatlantic partnership between Atlanta and London, and next year\u0026rsquo;s P20 event will be held here in Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eOne of the most compelling topics presented at the conference was financial inclusion, which means providing a way for more individuals and businesses to gain access to useful and affordable financial products and services. It\u0026rsquo;s estimated that 2 billion working-age adults globally have no access to the types of formal financial services delivered by regulated financial institutions. The discussion at P20 focused on how payments systems can accelerate financial inclusion in emerging economies and provide accessible, affordable and secure payments for all from both a technology and policy perspective. Many Atlanta companies are at the center of this issue, working to address the challenge.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eAt the community level, Invest Atlanta is working to address financial inclusion in the city. Earlier this year, IA helped to open the Westside Financial Center, which offers access to affordable financial services and products, one-on-one financial counseling and homeownership education in a part of the city where up to 75 percent of residents are unbanked or underbanked. Providing equal access to tools like bank accounts and strategies for savings is vital to increasing economic opportunity in the city. I am very proud of the efforts we are making with more to come.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003e#IamIA\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"supporting-financial-technology-and-inclusion","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"OQ93sQ","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:36:48.830-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:15:45.576-05:00"},{"id":2,"title":"September 2017: Ensuring Atlanta is First to the Future","published_date":"2017-09-19","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n This week, Atlanta officially launched the North Avenue Smart Corridor, which will use the latest technology in data collection, integration, and analytics to make North Avenue safer and more efficient for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.\u0026nbsp;\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eThis week, Atlanta officially launched the North Avenue Smart Corridor, which will use the latest technology in data collection, integration, and analytics to make North Avenue safer and more efficient for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Invest Atlanta funded the purchase of the smart cameras that will be used to gather critically important data along the Smart Corridor, and we\u0026rsquo;re proud to be part of this public-private collaboration between the City of Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Tech, and several tech companies.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eBut this is just the beginning. In the years ahead, this project will serve as the foundation for an expansion of Smart City technology throughout Atlanta, allowing for more efficient traffic management, and ultimately, improved traffic flow, lower emissions, improved safety all while supporting the growth of our economy. It also demonstrates how government can help to drive innovation. Local companies like Applied Information, Surtrac, and Wheego are all able to demonstrate their technologies through this project, which will support their growth in our market.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eTo stay ahead competitively, we need to continually think about what\u0026rsquo;s coming and how Invest Atlanta and our partners can continue to play a role. So I\u0026rsquo;m pleased that our team will be engaging with entrepreneurs and executives at several major events next month, including the SuperNova South Conference, the Women in Business Summit, the A3C Conference, FutureX, TEDxPeachtree, TechStars Demo Day, and the Atlanta Corporate Innovation Summit. All of these events support businesses across Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s industry sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eAs the city\u0026rsquo;s official economic development agency, we\u0026rsquo;re acting in the entrepreneurial spirit, refusing to wait, and actively working toward a brighter future for Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"september-2017-ensuring-atlanta-is-first-to-the-future","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"8_TLrA","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:37:34.355-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:15:56.550-05:00"},{"id":3,"title":"August 2017: Making a Difference in Atlanta’s Neighborhoods","published_date":"2017-08-14","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n A couple of weeks ago, I was truly touched to hear from an Invest Atlanta staff member about the feedback she\u0026rsquo;d received at a recent Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) meeting.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eA couple of weeks ago, I was truly touched to hear from an Invest Atlanta staff member about the feedback she\u0026rsquo;d received at a recent Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) meeting.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eThe meeting was for NPU-T, which lies south of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive corridor and consists of Atlanta University Center (AUC), Ashview Heights, CollegeTown, Just Us, The Villages at Castleberry Hill, West End, and Westview.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eAt the meeting, several residents approached our staff person, each sharing how Invest Atlanta had made a difference in their lives and neighborhoods. One resident had received down payment assistance through our homebuyer incentives programs. A local business owner spoke about how the neighborhood caf\u0026eacute; they owned would be able to grow thanks to a small business loan from Invest Atlanta. This staff member was also able to share information with NPU-T residents about the work we\u0026rsquo;re doing to acquire and remove blighted properties as a Choice Neighborhoods partner. She also spoke about the MLK Innovation Village we\u0026rsquo;re constructing at the Hamilton Holmes MARTA Station out of used shipping containers, encouraging more local entrepreneurs to launch their dreams.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eFrom homeowners to small businesses to entrepreneurs, Invest Atlanta is making a difference, not just in NPU-T, but in all 25 NPUs throughout the City of Atlanta. So far this year, we\u0026rsquo;ve supported the creation of nearly 3,800 new jobs, facilitated $5.7 million of first mortgage financing for new homebuyers, and supported small businesses with $284,000 in low-interest loans.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s a privilege and honor to work every day on behalf of the City of Atlanta. I\u0026rsquo;m especially proud of having the opportunity to hear how we\u0026rsquo;ve made a tangible difference in the lives of those who call Atlanta home. Thank you.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px 0px 25px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; border: none; background: none; box-shadow: none; font-family: \u0026quot;Whitney SSm A\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;Whitney SSm B\u0026quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(56, 64, 71);\"\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"august-2017-making-a-difference-in-atlantas-neighborhoods","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"slRGuQ","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:38:18.587-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:16:05.754-05:00"},{"id":4,"title":"July 2017: Meeting the Affordable Housing Challenge","published_date":"2017-07-19","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Rose Scott and Jim Burress on WABE\u0026rsquo;s Closer Look to discuss the issue of affordable housing in Atlanta.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eI recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Rose Scott and Jim Burress on WABE\u0026rsquo;s Closer Look to discuss the issue of affordable housing in Atlanta. (You can listen to the interview in its entirety here.)\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe began by talking about 161 Peachtree Center, which, thanks to a $9 million Eastside TAD grant, will create 60 new affordable workforce units in the heart of Downtown Atlanta. But our conversation went beyond this project to how Invest Atlanta and the City Atlanta, under the leadership of Mayor Reed, are working to make Atlanta a place for everyone to call home.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe spoke about several key topics such as the $140 million in new funding that we will use into the coming years to support the creation of affordable housing. We also touched on the City\u0026rsquo;s affordable housing policy introduced in 2016 that requires a set percentage of residential real estate units from any development receiving public funds to be leased to working households whose income falls below a certain percentage of the area median income (AMI).\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAtlanta\u0026rsquo;s population is expected to grow from half a million today to an estimated 1.3 million by 2050, putting pressure on our city\u0026rsquo;s housing supply, especially in areas near major employment centers. It\u0026rsquo;s more important than ever for all of us who can continue to shape the future of Atlanta to think about new ways we can create a variety of housing opportunities. The steps we\u0026rsquo;re taking now are crucial for the years to come.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWith new funds and policies in place, we\u0026rsquo;ll move forward with our partners at the Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA), the City of Atlanta, and the Atlanta BeltLine Inc. to create a broad mix of housing choices in the city allowing us to reach our goal of 10,000 units by 2020. And in the process, we\u0026rsquo;ll reduce the number of city residents who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eOur city\u0026rsquo;s future economic strength relies on us working to make Atlanta both globally competitive and more prosperous for all Atlantans. Together, we can make it happen.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"july-2017-meeting-the-affordable-housing-challenge","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"BLhshw","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:38:59.101-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:16:41.877-05:00"},{"id":5,"title":"June 2017: Strengthening Atlanta’s Commercial Corridors","published_date":"2017-06-14","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n The future strength and equity of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economy depends on several key factors, one of which is how we can effectively invest in our city\u0026rsquo;s emerging commercial corridors.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe future strength and equity of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economy depends on several key factors, one of which is how we can effectively invest in our city\u0026rsquo;s emerging commercial corridors.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs the City of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s population is expected to double in the coming years\u0026mdash;from 465,000 today to an estimated 1.3 million by 2050\u0026mdash;a large percentage of these new residents will be living and working along our city\u0026rsquo;s major corridors. Therefore we must invest in these to ensure they connect neighborhoods and accommodate growth in a way that benefits all Atlantans.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eTo support this type of strategy, the City of Atlanta and Invest Atlanta are intently focused on making targeted investments along corridors in Atlanta that are in development\u0026mdash;streets like Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. and Hollowell Parkway on the Westside, and Campbellton Road and Metropolitan Road in Southwest Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eCurrently, all these major avenues share similar characteristics. They are all wide, multiple-lane roads filled with high-speed vehicular traffic. Commercial properties are often small, narrow and separated over long distances by parking lots and underutilized properties. In addition, these corridors lack certain amenities, such as greenspace and grocery stores.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eInvest Atlanta and our partners are working to address these issues. Working on multiple fronts, we will remain centered around redeveloping our city\u0026rsquo;s most important commercial corridors to ensure they are vibrant and attractive connectors between neighborhoods. By doing so, we\u0026rsquo;ll strengthen the city\u0026rsquo;s core neighborhoods, address equity and support increased resiliency.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eBe on the lookout for a piece I\u0026rsquo;m writing in partnership with the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) of Atlanta where I will lay out our vision for these corridors in more detail.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"june-2017-strengthening-atlantas-commercial-corridors","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"a5uc8A","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:39:48.763-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:17:31.398-05:00"},{"id":6,"title":"May 2017: Thank You, Atlanta Small Businesses","published_date":"2017-05-05","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n As National Small Business Week comes to a close, it\u0026rsquo;s a great opportunity to reflect on the importance of small businesses in our city. In fact, there are more than 18,000 small businesses in the Atlanta area, accounting for more than 360,000 jobs on average.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAs National Small Business Week comes to a close, it\u0026rsquo;s a great opportunity to reflect on the importance of small businesses in our city. In fact, there are more than 18,000 small businesses in the Atlanta area, accounting for more than 360,000 jobs on average. These businesses, without a doubt, are a key part of the vitality of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economy.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eSo, when situations like the I-85 bridge collapse occur, it\u0026rsquo;s imperative for Invest Atlanta to do all we can to help. On the Monday after the I-85 incident, we were walking the streets and talking to businesses in the area. Our objective was simple: to hear firsthand about their issues and concerns so we could react and support them as best as possible.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs a result, we are sponsoring a Small Business Resource Event on Tuesday, May 9 targeting the 400 plus businesses within one mile of the incident. We brought together the services they told us they needed. From information about loans and cash flow to delivery options, providers will be on hand with solutions. For the Invest Atlanta team, our goal is to ensure that every business and every employee are still in place once the bridge opens and normal business activity resumes.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe are committed to making Atlanta the most competitive city in the world. We recognize that the only way to do this is to ensure that all Atlantans and businesses have the opportunity and an environment for economic growth and prosperity. It is for this reason that we proudly exist.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eA special \u0026lsquo;thank you\u0026rsquo; to each and every small business for your contributions to making Atlanta the vibrant city it is and will continue to become.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"may-2017-thank-you-atlanta-small-businesses","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"wkfSWw","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:40:27.885-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:17:51.363-05:00"},{"id":7,"title":"April 2017: A Place for All Atlantans","published_date":"2017-04-19","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Becoming the most competitive city in the world requires a deliberate focus on making Atlanta a place anyone can call \u0026ldquo;home.\u0026rdquo; As the City of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economic development agency, it\u0026rsquo;s our role to support people in this important decision, whether it\u0026rsquo;s buying a home, renting or leasing.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBecoming the most competitive city in the world requires a deliberate focus on making Atlanta a place anyone can call \u0026ldquo;home.\u0026rdquo; As the City of Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economic development agency, it\u0026rsquo;s our role to support people in this important decision, whether it\u0026rsquo;s buying a home, renting or leasing. And we do. We provide down payment assistance, and 25 families have taken advantage of the program just this year. We have also established a lease-to-homeownership program through Trio, a good tool for those who want to take advantage of current home prices and interest rates but need a bit more time to qualify for a mortgage.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eBut we, Invest Atlanta, want to do more. An area where we are specially focused on is ensuring Atlanta is affordable to all. Hence, the critical importance of our affordable housing efforts. Our goal is to support 10,000 additional affordable units by 2020. And we are confident we can reach this goal with the support from the $40 million Housing Opportunity Bond, $6.5 million Westside TAD supporting resident retention, and $11.4 million Beltline Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Together, this $57.9 million investment is the first of its kind in many years for the city.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe are honored to carry forth this mission to further solidify the city as a place for all Atlantans.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"april-2017-a-place-for-all-atlantans","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"Oo_ZWg","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:41:06.441-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:18:27.386-05:00"},{"id":8,"title":"March 2017: Why Economic Development?","published_date":"2017-03-15","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n There are many economic indicators a city can analyze to determine its health, and one is payroll employment.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThere are many economic indicators a city can analyze to determine its health, and one is payroll employment. Since 2010, Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s percentage growth in payroll employment is 18.7% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Only five other cities grew faster than Atlanta by this indicator. For me, this is a good sign of vibrancy found in the city.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAnd yet, we cannot rest on one indicator when there are more than 19,300 cities in the nation, all competing to bring good jobs and increased investment. If cities want to be competitive in the 21st century, they need to make a deliberate effort to create programs and initiatives that drive job creation/retention, increase investment, expand quality of life and broaden the tax base. Not only will these overarching strategies put the city and all its citizens on course for a better future, they will also provide some level of influence over the many economic cycles inherent to a capitalist economy.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe challenge\u0026mdash;and opportunity\u0026mdash;is to create programs that are innovative and relevant to the current and future economy. This is no easy task, but it\u0026rsquo;s one to which Invest Atlanta is committed. It means finding ways to impact transportation, education, workforce, big data and workforce housing in ways that drive economic growth. I plan to explore many of these topics in my future posts.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eLastly, I\u0026rsquo;m pleased to welcome you to our new blog site, IA Insight. Here you will find Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s latest economic and community development news, so be sure to check back for updates. I hope you enjoy it.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"march-2017-why-economic-development","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"qdtvRw","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:42:00.742-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:18:40.721-05:00"},{"id":9,"title":"February 2017: Invest Atlanta's Plan for the Future","published_date":"2017-02-15","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n For me, it is important to remember that success comes from knowing where you want to go and having a plan to get there.\u0026nbsp;\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFor me, it is important to remember that success comes from knowing where you want to go and having a plan to get there. Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s plan is rooted in our mission and vision and guided by four objectives to help make Atlanta the most economically dynamic and competitive city in the world:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cul\u003e\r\n\t\u003cli\u003eStrengthen Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s position as a global city\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\t\u003cli\u003eExpand our attractiveness as a center for business\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\t\u003cli\u003eRedevelop our neighborhoods to spur economic growth\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\t\u003cli\u003eLead economic equity to address income inequality\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eBut a plan is only as good as the ability and commitment of the team. So we strive to build new capabilities within our organization that support our business excellence ethos.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am pleased to announce and welcome Keith Millner, our new executive vice president and chief operating officer. He is uniquely suited for this role and will help to drive our customer and program delivery plans.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"february-2017-invest-atlantas-plan-for-the-future","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"iEuk0w","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:42:50.547-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:18:57.237-05:00"},{"id":10,"title":"January 2017: Happy New Year!","published_date":"2017-01-28","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n 2017 is here and we are excited about Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economic momentum.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2017 is here and we are excited about Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s economic momentum. In fact, Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s programs have helped to facilitate more than 33,000 quality jobs since 2010, a faster pace than any in recent history. This rapid\u0026nbsp;employment\u0026nbsp;growth is not only providing new opportunities for city residents, it is also building a strong, in-demand workforce for the future in growing sectors of the economy like FinTech, logistics and Healthcare IT.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"january-2017-happy-new-year","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"tpn5BQ","created_at":"2017-12-18T18:44:21.355-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:25:10.780-05:00"},{"id":11,"title":"December 2016: New Year Reflections","published_date":"2016-12-14","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n As we say farewell to 2016, it\u0026rsquo;s a great time to reflect on Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s accomplishments.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAs we say farewell to 2016, it\u0026rsquo;s a great time to reflect on Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s accomplishments.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe have had the privilege to facilitate $1.2 billion in investment, 7,472 direct jobs and 3,101 indirect / induced jobs. These efforts have generated a total economic impact of $3.07 billion within the City of Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eNumbers, however, only tell a piece of the story. The most exciting part of our efforts is told through the stories of people we\u0026rsquo;ve assisted\u0026mdash;the unemployed worker who found a new, high-quality job, the entrepreneur who launched their new business, or the young family who purchased their very first home.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI just want to thank the Mayor, the Invest Atlanta board, everyone at the City of Atlanta, our many public and private partners, and the people who make these projects possible, the Invest Atlanta team. IA could not make such a positive impact on so many lives without your support and contributions.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe have achieved a lot this year to bring greater prosperity to more Atlantans, but our work isn\u0026rsquo;t over. I\u0026rsquo;m excited to see what 2017 will bring.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"december-2016-new-year-reflections","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"C1qw2g","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:23:20.692-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:24:03.927-05:00"},{"id":12,"title":"November 2016: Govern Like an Entrepreneur","published_date":"2016-11-16","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n \u0026quot;Govern Like an Entrepreneur\u0026quot; was the topic I was privileged to present recently at TEDx Peachtree.\u0026nbsp;\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aLrEGHbIx8\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;Govern Like an Entrepreneur\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;was the topic I was privileged to present recently at TEDx Peachtree. I believe that by adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, governments have the potential to be even more impactful in creating dynamic cities.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eInvest Atlanta is committed to making Atlanta the most economically dynamic and competitive city in the world. Inherent in this vision is cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset. To do this, we must continue to challenge ourselves to think differently, approach each opportunity with an open mind, and imagine new possibilities for our communities. From creating new economic development tools to taking our programs even deeper, it is an honor to lead a team that believes in the entrepreneurial spirit as a means to impact all those we serve.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"november-2016-govern-like-an-entrepreneur","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"qDxCWQ","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:24:48.691-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:23:33.838-05:00"},{"id":13,"title":"October 2016: Attracting Foreign Direct Investment","published_date":"2016-10-19","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n With more than 70% of the world\u0026rsquo;s purchasing power located outside of the United States, it is strategic for more Atlanta businesses to partake in the global marketplace.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWith more than 70% of the world\u0026rsquo;s purchasing power located outside of the United States, it is strategic for more Atlanta businesses to partake in the global marketplace. Thinking globally about new ideas and building connections that extend our economic reach into foreign markets strengthens our competitive position. The recent launch of Invest Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s new EB-5 Regional Center, trade missions with the Mayor\u0026rsquo;s Office of International Affairs to the United Kingdom, and the Atlanta-Toulouse Startup Exchange are a few examples of how we are building greater momentum internationally. There are many more opportunities ahead, and I look forward to working closely with Team IA, City of Atlanta and our partners to take the spirit of our great city all across the world.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"october-2016-attracting-foreign-direct-investment","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"Kj8Wtg","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:27:00.848-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:22:36.697-05:00"},{"id":14,"title":"September 2016: Team IA is Growing","published_date":"2016-09-14","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n As our city continues to grow its economy, jobs and communities, Invest Atlanta is expanding alongside to ensure we are delivering the outstanding service and support expected from IA.\u0026nbsp;\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAs our city continues to grow its economy, jobs and communities, Invest Atlanta is expanding alongside to ensure we are delivering the outstanding service and support expected from IA. We\u0026rsquo;re growing not only in size, but also in scope with new program areas to better support our clients and stakeholders. This includes the expansion of IA\u0026rsquo;s Community Development department in key areas such as real estate, neighborhood development and homeownership, as well as in Economic Development with a dedicated focus on entrepreneurship and business development.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhile these changes bring some new roles to our organization, what remains constant is dedication to our mission of increasing economic opportunity and prosperity in Atlanta.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"september-2016-team-ia-is-growing","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"O8pYWA","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:30:01.480-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:22:18.756-05:00"},{"id":15,"title":"August 2016: Always Improving","published_date":"2016-08-18","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n This year, Invest Atlanta has achieved many great successes that are making an important impact on the city.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThis year, Invest Atlanta has achieved many great successes that are making an important impact on the city. Despite these accomplishments, we are pushing ourselves to be even more relevant \u0026ndash; connecting with our clients, partners and communities in new and more meaningful ways \u0026ndash; because there are always opportunities around the corner to increase the value and impact of what we deliver.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhile economic and community development numbers tell part of the story, it is the work of Team IA that speaks volumes. From building new and stronger relationships with business leaders and entrepreneurs, to pushing forward new community development strategies, to educating more people about home buyer incentives than ever before \u0026ndash; our people are what drive the success of our organization and the results we deliver to our clients and stakeholders.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe commitment and determination of our people to be more relevant and push us even further are what makes me so proud to be a part of the IA team.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am IA.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"august-2016-always-improving","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"hSeTFA","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:30:56.715-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:22:02.879-05:00"},{"id":16,"title":"July 2016: Improving the Customer Experience","published_date":"2016-07-21","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Jeff Bezos, Amazon\u0026rsquo;s CEO, famously commented that \u0026ldquo;We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eJeff Bezos, Amazon\u0026rsquo;s CEO, famously commented that \u0026ldquo;We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It\u0026rsquo;s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.\u0026rdquo; Economic and community development are like customer experience in many ways. A fundamental aspect of our mission is to ensure that the companies, communities and individuals we serve always have a great experience with the city and in our communities. And Atlanta is succeeding at this.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eThumbtack, the online marketplace for connecting local professionals, recently gave Atlanta an \u0026ldquo;A\u0026rdquo; for business friendliness in its annual survey measuring ease of doing business. In another national listing, NerdWallet ranked Atlanta the top mobile-friendly city in the U.S. based on number of mobile connections, in-person customer service, taxes and fees, and crime risk.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs we look back at the first half of the year, it\u0026rsquo;s important to remind ourselves that delivering a great customer experience is an important part of attracting and retaining investment. In 2016, we\u0026rsquo;ve seen increased jobs and investments for the city, new multifamily projects launched and greater homeownership throughout Atlanta neighborhoods \u0026ndash; all of which are positioning ourselves to surpass our goals. The outstanding service experience we strive to provide everyday makes a difference, and it will continue to propel our success.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI am IA!\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"july-2016-improving-the-customer-experience","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"XJO6ag","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:32:40.384-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:21:23.114-05:00"},{"id":17,"title":"June 2016: Expanding Invest Atlanta","published_date":"2016-06-16","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n I believe that employees are a company\u0026rsquo;s greatest asset as it is their passion that drives innovation. Steve Jobs said, \u0026ldquo;The only way to do great work is to love what you do.\u0026rdquo;\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eI believe that employees are a company\u0026rsquo;s greatest asset as it is their passion that drives innovation. Steve Jobs said, \u0026ldquo;The only way to do great work is to love what you do.\u0026rdquo; I am proud that the Invest Atlanta Team loves what they do. Today, I have the pleasure to announce that Invest Atlanta has welcomed 16 new employees since the start\u0026nbsp;of the year to further expand on the knowledge, skill and expertise for the services we offer. With the addition of these new, passionate professionals, we are in an even better position to compete on the world stage for more jobs and increased investment benefiting our communities and City.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eAs Mayor Reed has said, \u0026ldquo;We are just getting started.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"june-2016-expanding-invest-atlanta","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"eFRCUA","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:34:47.083-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:21:04.389-05:00"},{"id":18,"title":"May 2016: The Millennial Workforce","published_date":"2016-05-19","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n If we want to attract and retain innovators and entrepreneurs, then we have to be innovative and entrepreneurial.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIf we want to attract and retain innovators and entrepreneurs, then we have to be innovative and entrepreneurial. In this spirit, Invest Atlanta recently hosted a roundtable where millennials who live and work in Atlanta expressed a preference for home ownership over rent, single-family homes instead of condominiums, and self-employment over traditional work for an employer.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eWe are now looking at our tools, programs and initiatives to ensure that they address the preferences of our up-and-coming workforce so that Atlanta remains economically competitive.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eI would also like to welcome Keysight Technologies to the City of Atlanta. They are a wonderful new addition to our Midtown tech community.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"may-2016-the-millennial-workforce","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"Xp5Wyg","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:36:20.573-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:20:49.019-05:00"},{"id":19,"title":"April 2016: On the Pathway to Prosperity","published_date":"2016-04-20","featured_image":null,"description":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg-basic description\"\u003e\n Since our inception, Invest Atlanta has demonstrated visionary, focused and relentless dedication to making our city one of the nation\u0026rsquo;s best places to live, work, study and play.\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"datatype-wysiwyg content\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSince our inception, Invest Atlanta has demonstrated visionary, focused and relentless dedication to making our city one of the nation\u0026rsquo;s best places to live, work, study and play.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2015, our collective efforts culminated with Atlanta witnessing record-shattering growth in job creation, business attraction, community development and business retention and expansion.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eOur success is evidence that we are heading in the right direction on the pathway to prosperity.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003ePRESIDENT \u0026amp; CEO\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","audience_id":null,"filename":"april-2016-on-the-pathway-to-prosperity","meta_data_id":null,"published":true,"token":"FIiAnw","created_at":"2017-12-26T14:40:22.736-05:00","updated_at":"2018-01-11T11:20:14.719-05:00"}]}