Courtney Smith

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Courtney Smith - Midtownatlanta.org

Meet District 2 Atlanta City Council Candidate Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith has maintained a love for Midtown Atlanta since 1996 when she moved into her Harrison dorm room at Georgia Tech. Along with her husband, she has owned property in Midtown for over 20 years. After living in Nashville, New York and Singapore, Courtney returned to the Midtown Neighborhood permanently in 2012. She lives on Mentelle Drive in the historic home of renown Atlanta architect and founder of the Midtown Neighbors’ Association, Henri Jova.  Courtney started her professional career in corporate finance as an investment banking analyst in the health care industry working for SunTrust Bank, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and Raymond James where she advised clients on venture capital fundraising rounds, M&A opportunities, and capital markets transactions.  In 2005, after a one-year sabbatical where she attended the International Center of Photography in New York City, Courtney transitioned careers. For the following eight years, she used her skills in financial analytics, business strategy and project management to own and operate a boutique print media production company helping to create large scale corporate ad campaigns and stock image collections for large national companies.  Courtney enjoys working alongside Midtown neighbors on special projects including investigating a Midtown historic overlay designation and supporting the development of the Midtown Garden District Master Plan through to adoption. Her passion for being a part of the MNA Board of Directors stems from a lifelong call to service ingrained in her by her family’s history of military, civil and faith-based service. Her dedication to MNA is sustained by her love of Midtown’s intense energy and welcoming community vibe.  For Courtney, the fact that Midtown is the most dense and fastest growing neighborhood simply makes the work for our community all that much more intriguing and critical. Courtney joined the MNA Board of Directors in 2018 as Marketing Chairman and oversaw the rebranding of the organization, website evolution and worked alongside other dedicated Board members to re-envision the structure, programming and future vision of MNA’s service to the community.  As President of the Midtown Neighbors’ Association, her focus has been on opening channels of communication for residents to connect to their community, creating sustainable practices for growth, strengthening bench depth, and bolstering the reputation and influence of the organization. Courtney represents MNA on the City of Atlanta’s Neighborhood Planning Unit-E Board as Vice Chairman and also serves on the Midtown Alliance Board of Directors.  In 2021, Courtney joined other neighborhood leaders in creating a citizen advocacy group – CLEAR – to bring about much needed reform and modernization of our City of Atlanta Alcohol Code of Ordinances. Since inception, the group has gathered the support of over 300,000 Atlanta residents and successfully supported positive legislative changes. Courtney is appointed to the City’s Alcohol Technical Advisory Group III which will convene this year and she also served on the 2021 Mayor’s Anti-Violence Advisory Council.  Courtney serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Preservation Center, Georgia Tech Alumni Association, and Our House. Her family supports the Piedmont Park Conservancy, Midtown Assistance Center, HOPE Atlanta, Atlanta Food Bank, and Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute. They are members of the High Museum of Art and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Courtney is a financial analyst and business owner. She started her professional career in corporate finance as an investment banking analyst in the health care industry, working at SunTrust Bank, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, and Raymond James. After a one-year sabbatical in 2005, she transitioned to running her own boutique print media production company for eight years, where she used her skills in financial analytics, business strategy, and project management to create large-scale corporate ad campaigns and stock image collections for national companies.

Atlanta Municipal Elections: Who's Running and Fundraising ...

Courtney's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is her first entry into politics. 

Supports modernizing licensing to benefit businesses and the community.

Proposes exploring legislation to allocate special event permit fees from large-scale ticketed events for discretionary infrastructure improvements.

Economy

Supports expanding partnerships with programs like GOODR to provide choice-based fresh food and household supplies to those in need.

Supports creating urban gardens in each District 2 neighborhood for direct food access, education, and community connection.

Supports legislation to allocate council district funding from special event permit fees for infrastructure improvements.

Public Services

Supports expanding building incentive programs to deliver affordable housing.

Supports partnering with others for faster delivery of permanent affordable housing on city land.

Supports exploring new housing models to address diverse population needs.

Supports prioritizing long-term housing while allowing short-term rentals.

Supports preserving "naturally occurring affordable housing."

Supports modernizing zoning laws for clarity and future growth.

Supports properly resourcing the planning department to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Supports expanding zoning incentive programs to increase funding for mixed-income social housing in targeted growth areas.

Supports using city-owned property for mixed-use, mixed-income housing projects with private developers and ensuring affordable housing units through lease conditions or deed restrictions.

Supports innovative housing solutions, such as pairing college students with senior citizens in subsidized housing, to address multiple housing challenges.

Supports updating the Short Term Rental ordinance to reduce the impact on long-term housing, especially in high-demand areas.

Supports targeting older multi-family buildings for revitalization, using Community Development Block Grants to sustain below-market rent.

Supports expanding nighttime experiences in Atlanta.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports community-centered policing practices, including youth programs, athletic leagues, and discussions between citizens and zone officers.

Supports maintaining a strong partnership with the Atlanta Police Department to ensure high standards in training, service delivery, professional development, and mental health resources for officers.

Supports exploring the use of AI and camera technologies to automate event permitting and licensing processes, freeing up sworn officers for higher priority needs.

Public Safety

Supports expanding and maintaining bike lanes.

Supports improving budget transparency, project status reporting, and accountability for timely project delivery and safety improvements with MARTA.

Supports public transit expansion and the development of an uninterrupted radial transit corridor along the Beltline.

Supports improving public transit by prioritizing accessibility, reducing costs, and connecting underserved communities to economic centers.

Supports using special event permit fees for infrastructure improvements.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Plans to address the multi-year backlog of arborist requests to improve tree canopy growth.

Energy & the Environment

Alex Bevel Jones

Alex is a corporate engagement manager at Georgia Tech. He previously owned a small business and worked as a project manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. He also interned in Congress and served as president of the Virginia-Highland Civic Association.

Alexander Bevel Jones's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is his first entry into politics.

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Alexander Bevel Jones

Meet District 2 Atlanta City Council Candidate Alex Bevel Jones

Atlanta City Council to Appoint New Interim District 2 Representative ...

Alex is the development director at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. He previously worked as a corporate engagement manager at Georgia Tech, a project manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and owned a small restaurant. He also worked as an Uber driver between jobs to support his family.

2025 Atlanta Elections: Who is Running? - Atlanta Civic Circle

Alex Bevel Jones's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is his first entry into politics.

Supports reducing bureaucratic obstacles for local businesses and increasing access to capital.

Supports vocational training programs in partnership with local schools and employers.

Supports restoring and expanding health services for all residents.

Supports advocating for mental health support and better access to care citywide.

Supports stronger partnerships between the City Council, school board and local nonprofits to expand after-school programs and job training.

Supports advocating for improved compensation and working conditions for Atlanta teachers.

Supports ensuring affordable units are included in every major development.

Supports mixed-use, transit-oriented development that includes affordable housing and protects the tree canopy.

Supports community land trusts and inclusionary zoning.

Supports investing in police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders by providing them with training, tools, and resources.

Supports developing a public safety training center to improve preparedness and accountability.

Supports community policing, de-escalation training, and policies to reduce emergency response times.

Supports developing a state-of-the-art public safety training center to enhance preparedness and accountability.

Supports building protected bike lanes and investing in sidewalks, bike lanes, streetlights, and infrastructure across all neighborhoods.

Supports transparent budgeting that prioritizes homeownership programs, public safety, transit expansion, and attracting affordable grocery vendors.

Supports expanding the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) system, improving sidewalks, and boosting connectivity between neighborhoods.

Supports mixed-use, transit-oriented development that includes affordable housing and protects our tree canopy.

James White III

James White Iii

James White III is from LaGrange, Georgia, and was raised in Newnan and Southside Atlanta. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Benedict College and a law degree from The Ohio State University. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

James's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is his first entry into politics.

As of September 3, 2025, James White Iii did not have a website or any information online.

Believes safer neighborhoods are built through "compassion, prevention, and opportunity," not by increasing arrests.

Plans to address "potholes, unsafe streets, and broken city response systems."

Kelsea Bond

Kelsea Bond — LPAC

Kelsea Bond is a queer community organizer, former union member and education policy worker, born and raised in Metro Atlanta. Growing up in a diverse family of educators and public sector workers, Kelsea was raised to believe that our government has a responsibility to provide housing, healthcare, and a quality education as a human right. Since 2020, Kelsea has organized alongside dozens of progressive community organizations and labor unions to fight for reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights here in the State of Georgia, and organize solidarity for unionizing workers. In 2021, Kelsea organized with abortion rights groups to raise awareness for a Reproductive Freedom Act in Georgia, and in 2023 worked with their former union, United Campus Workers of Georgia to introduce legislation to the state legislature to legalize public sector bargaining rights. Kelsea has lived in City Council District 2 for ten years, and currently resides in Midtown, Atlanta.

Meet the Atlanta City Council candidates: Kelsea Bond for District 2

Kelsea is a community organizer and former education policy worker. They have organized as a union member and served as a political campaign manager.

Atlanta's Green New Deal: Kelsea Bond's Vision for Change

Kelsea's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is their first entry into politics. 

Supports affordable housing, environmentally responsible infrastructure, and workers' rights.

Supports investing in transit alternatives, like BeltLine Rail, to reduce transportation costs for service workers.

Supports transparency, accessibility, and accountability in government.

As of September 3, 2025, Kelsea Bond’s website did not contain information on this issue.

As of September 3, 2025, Kelsea Bond did not have a website or any information online.

Supports investing in transit alternatives like the BeltLine Rail to reduce transportation costs for service workers.

Supports the local implementation of a Green New Deal, promoting a shift toward renewable resources and away from fossil fuels.

Rod Mack

Know Your Gubernatorial Candidate: Rod Mack

Rod Mack earned a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College in 1975. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rod Mack - Ballotpedia

Rod's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is his first entry into politics. He previously ran as a write-in candidate for governor of Georgia in 2018 but did not win.

Supports economic development initiatives.

As of September 3, 2025, Rod Mack did not have a website or any information online.

Supports the Second Amendment but wants "extensive background checks" and opposes unlawful gun sales and military-style assault weapons.

William Jacob Chambers

Jacob Chambers

Jacob Chambers is from Atlanta, Georgia. He has a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He lives in Midtown.

Supports empowering residents to open small, neighborhood-scale businesses.

Supports empowering residents to open small, neighborhood-scale businesses to promote walkable communities.

Plans to stabilize the cost of purchasing or renting a home by addressing the root causes of Atlanta's housing shortage.

Plans to streamline the approval process for residents and builders to make it faster and easier to build new homes.

Aims to address historical racial injustices in housing and ensure all Atlantans have access to stable, affordable housing.

Supports investments in early childhood education and public safety.

As of September 3, 2025, Jacob Chambers did not have a website or any information online.

- City council members work together with the rest of city council to set and implement city policy. 
- City council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city 
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Most city council members in Georgia are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 