Current Updates
GA State Legislature
The Georgia State Legislature opened its 2026 session today. I will update this site ASAP with information about current and upcoming legislation for your input!
Affordable Housing
The 1st meeting of the Savannah Affordable Housing Coalition was held yesterday evening (Sun., 1/11) at Savannah Coffee Roasters. Many concerned groups and citizens met to find out facts re: the slated Yamacraw Village demolition, find out what other issues are affecting affordable housing (or the lack thereof) in the Savannah area, and how we can act to help our neighbors.
The Savannah Housing Authority is meeting this Wed., 1/14 at 11:45am to discuss their 2026 Draft Plan, which includes demolition of Yamacraw Village. The draft plan is available at https://savannahpha.com/Draft%20FY%202026%20Annual%20Plan... Note especially Attachment B.1 (b), B: Housing Needs of Families on Public Housing Waiting Lists (pp. 14-19); Attachment B.1 (c): Deconcentration Policy (pp. 28-31); and Attachment B.2 (b) New Activities (pp. 35-37).
All interested parties are invited to present comments to the HAS Board of Commissioners at a Public Hearing on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 11:45 a.m. at the HAS NRC Building B Community Room, 1407 Wheaton Street. Written comments will also be received through Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. EST. All comments will be presented and made part of the record of the public hearing and may be e-mailed to tbrawner@savannahpha.com.
ICE
I cannot decry enough the unwarranted and violent actions by the thugs the U.S. executive branch has hired with exorbitant signing bonuses and salaries for "Immigration and Customs Enforcement" (ICE). ICE has employed white nationalist, anti-immigrant rhetoric and graphics to recruit its agents. And apparently, these new agents are poorly trained and have serious anger management issues. We must continue to stand and act for our neighbors -- those neighbors who don't look like us, those who have different cultures and religions, and those who are female and/or LGBTQ+ -- to protect them from the violent thugs currently acting as if they are judges, juries, and executioners.
ICE in GA District 1 (Sept. 4, 2025)
On Thursday, Sept. 4, masked and armed ICE agents raided the Hyundai Metaplant and two nearby warehouses in Bryan County, detaining 475 workers, 300 of whom were Korean, and the rest included Mexican, Ecuadoran, and Venezuelan nationals -- many with valid visas and/or work permits. ICE transferred the detained workers to the largest detention center in the U.S. -- in Folkston, GA.
The Hyundai Metaplant is the largest economic development project in Georgia's history. Hyundai has been given billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded (that's funded by YOU) incentives, including the right to sell Bryan County's water, and greatly reduced fines for workplace and environmental safety violations.
The Sept. 4 ICE raid and the incentives given to Hyundai by legislators like Sen. Ben Watson, Rep. Jesse Petrea, Rep. Ron Stephens, and Rep. Bill Hitchens DO NOT BENEFIT Georgia's residents! They don't improve worker safety, protect our coastal environment, or demonstrate Hyundai's commitment to invest in our community.
Further, ICE's conscription of our local law enforcement officers does not increase our public safety -- not when any thug with a masked face carrying a gun can attack anyone who is working in our community. ICE's attacks on working people has nothing to do with public safety or immigration enforcement and everything to do with instilling fear, separating families, and disrupting businesses and communities that the current regime wants to punish.
I will always stand with our working families.
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