How to get involved in your neighborhood in AtlantaThis short guide says who to call first and what to expect.Open the guideClose the guide
To have a say in what gets built near you, go to your Neighborhood Planning Unit. Atlanta is split into 25 of them, called NPUs and named by letter. Each meets once a month, and anyone who lives or owns a business in the area can come and speak. NPUs vote on what can be built where, on liquor licenses and on city plans, and the City Council sees their vote before it decides. Each NPU sets its own rule for who can vote, and some ask you to attend a meeting or two first. Search "Atlanta NPU" with your address to find yours.
To report a problem, call 311 inside Atlanta, or 404-546-0311, about potholes, missed trash, water bills and broken streetlights.
To vote, check your registration, polling place and sample ballot at mvp.sos.ga.gov. You have to register about a month before an election. You need a photo ID to vote, and your county elections office gives a free voter ID card if you don't have one.
For free rooms, computers and classes, use your library. A card is free. Fulton County Library System branches have meeting rooms, computers and printing, and staff who can point you to help.
For neighbor groups, many small groups here share food, clothes and rides with no office and no forms. Some only post on Instagram. We list them when we can confirm they are active.
org is a free website that explains everyday legal topics in plain language, like family law, housing, money problems, and immigration. It is run together by Atlanta Legal Aid Society and Georgia Legal Services Program, and it helps people find a lawyer, court forms, and other legal resources across Georgia.
This is the Cleveland Avenue Branch of the Fulton County Library System. You can use computers, printing, study rooms and meeting rooms, and go to free library events. The library system's Social Services team can connect you with help for housing, benefits, health and jobs.
Adams Park Library is a branch of the Fulton County Library System in Southwest Atlanta. You can borrow materials, use public computers and free Wi-Fi, and use study and meeting rooms. The branch also hosts children's programs and visits from a library social worker.
Gresham Library is a branch of the DeKalb County Public Library at 2418 Gresham Road SE. You can borrow books, audiobooks, DVDs, Chromebooks and wireless hotspots, use public computers and WiFi, and ask a librarian for help. It also has a meeting room and a youth services area.
This is the Martin Luther King Jr. Branch of the Fulton County Library System, near the King historic district in Atlanta. You can borrow materials, use a computer lab, and go to free-time programs for kids, teens, adults and seniors.
Empowerline is the help line of the Atlanta Regional Commission's Area Agency on Aging. You can call and talk with a certified counselor about aging, disability, and caregiver needs in metro Atlanta. The counselor helps you find services, and can set up a check to see if you qualify for help paying for them.
East Point Library is a branch of the Fulton County Library System on Main Street in downtown East Point. It has books, computers, WiFi, study rooms, a meeting room, and a children's area. It also holds kids' storytimes and other programs.
Mad Housers is a volunteer-run Atlanta nonprofit that builds small, simple shelters called huts for people sleeping outside. The huts give people a locking door, a roof, and a safe place to keep their belongings, and the group also speaks at schools and community events about homelessness.
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia is a statewide nonprofit that has worked on mother and baby health since 1974. It offers free online classes, free kits for pregnant and new moms, and phone lines that point families to help across Georgia.
Northwest Library at Scotts Crossing is a branch of the Fulton County Library System. It has a computer lab, study rooms, meeting rooms and a place to return books after hours. It also holds programs such as storytime and a book club.
Food Well Alliance is an Atlanta nonprofit that helps community gardens, urban farms and orchards in five metro counties. It gives growers grants, compost, tools, tractor help, labor help and training. It also runs volunteer workdays at gardens and helps cities make local food plans.
KC Media Co. is a storytelling and film company run by Atlanta artist Krystle Chanel. It makes documentaries and community photo and video projects, including See Our Voice, which lets longtime residents of Southwest Atlanta share their own neighborhood stories through photography shown at MARTA stations and community exhibits.
West End Library is a public library branch of the Fulton County Library System in southwest Atlanta. People can get a library card, borrow books, use free computers and the internet, and join classes and events. The library's Social Services team also helps people get connected to benefits, housing, IDs, and other community support through referrals to partner agencies.
This is a DeKalb County public library branch on McConnell Drive in Decatur. You can borrow books, movies and music, use computers and WiFi, and ask staff for research help. It also has meeting and study rooms and voter registration.
Northside Branch is a public library in northwest Atlanta, part of the Fulton County Library System. It has a computer lab, study rooms, a meeting room, and programs for kids, teens, and adults. The system's social services team can connect people to help with housing, benefits, jobs, and more.
Brookhaven Library is a branch of the DeKalb County Public Library. You can borrow books, movies and music, use computers and WiFi, get help from a librarian, and register to vote there. A new, larger building is being planned.
Covington Library is a branch of the DeKalb County Public Library in Decatur. You can borrow books, movies, music, Chromebooks and wireless hotspots, use computers and WiFi, and get help from a reference librarian. It also has a meeting room and a youth area.
This is a DeKalb County Public Library branch in Scottdale. It has books, movies, audiobooks, a children's area, and public computers with internet. It is not a food program.
Flat Shoals Library is a branch of the DeKalb County Public Library. You can borrow books, movies, and music, use computers and WiFi, and ask a librarian for help. It also offers a meeting room, voter registration, and a book sale.
Georgia Charitable Care Network is a group that supports free and charitable clinics across Georgia. These clinics care for people who are uninsured or have low incomes. Their website has a list and map of member clinics so you can find one near you.
