Candidate Profile: Mark Hammad For Atlanta Mayor

ATLANTA — Fourteen Mayoral candidates are running in Atlanta's Nov. 2 municipal election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Mark Hammad is running for Atlanta Mayor.

Age (as of Election Day)

38

Party Affiliation

Non-partisan

Family

Wife and 10 month old son

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Mechanical Engineering degree

Occupation

Consultant - 15 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

www.Hammad4ATL.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

We are facing some very serious issues here in Atlanta. Violent crime is out of control and Buckhead wants to leave the city. Through all of this, our elected officials have been absent. There is no leadership and no action. The status quo is not working and we need change.
I will bring change. I bring policy solutions, not politics. Most importantly, I will repair the trust with the citizens of Atlanta by restoring ethics and transparency in the Mayor's office.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Without a doubt, crime is the #1 issue this year.

On crime, focusing solutions on the Police is misguided. While the APD is in need of more staff, this is not what is causing the spike in violent crime. The violent crime is being driven by repeat offenders. Many of these violent criminals, even after getting caught will not see the inside of a jail cell. There is no accountability for criminals and no justice for victims. If we want to reduce the violent crime and keep our City safe, we need to keep violent offenders in jail. This recently made headlines, with Fani Willis (Fulton DA) stating that without more resources to bring indictments, violent offenders could be released without even being charged. Our current elected officials have known that this was an issue for years and have failed to act.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

There are three key differences. First, I am the ONLY candidate who is discussing specific policy solutions. Further, my policy solutions are well-grounded in best practices and are based on data and research. Other candidates say they will reduce crime, but don’t explain how they will do it.

Second, I will bring ethics, accountability, and transparency to the Mayor's office. For too many years, City Hall has been plagued by waste, fraud, and corruption. This ends under my administration. We need to restore trust with the citizens and remove the clouds of suspicion and investigations from City Hall

Third, I am a leader, not a follower. Most of the other candidates will say or do anything for an endorsement, campaign contribution, or to line their own pockets. That’s not leadership. That’s not looking out for the citizens, that’s looking after themselves. I am the only candidate to stand up to the interest groups and advocacy groups – I don’t pander and I don’t fear missing an endorsement. I’m here for the citizens of Atlanta.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Our current Mayor and city council have failed across the board. They have failed to act on crime and the causes of crime, even when in possession of reports from the police and DA showing what the issue is and how to fix it.
They have failed to act on basic city services. Right now, the city defers as much of this as possible to private organizations and even the items they do provide are failing. For example, private organizations pay for the maintenance and cleaning of Piedmont and Chastain parks. Midtown Blue supplements the lack of police in midtown and the city is putting $0 into the new police and fire training facility — the funds are 100% private donations. One of the few services the city covers is trash removal — and even this isn’t getting done.
Further, we have too many blighted and dilapidated properties in this city that many have no choice but to live in. The city has failed to condemn unsafe and deplorable housing conditions, even allowing children to live in squalor.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I feel they did the best they could have. The issue became politicized and was beyond the capabilities of local leaders to reign this in.

What do you identify as the root causes of the recent and ongoing increase in violent crime, and how would you address the issue?

This has been repeatedly identified in multiple reports over the years. The cause is clear — the (prior) DA’s office and the courts. The police are doing their job and apprehending criminals, the courts are failing to prosecute and adjudicate these cases.

The violent crime is being driven by repeat offenders. Many of these violent criminals, even after getting caught will not see the inside of a jail cell. There is no accountability for criminals and no justice for victims. If we want to reduce the violent crime and keep our City safe, we need to keep violent offenders in jail. This recently made headlines, with Fanni Willis (Fulton DA) stating that without more resources to bring indictments, violent offenders could be released without even being charged. Our current elected officials have known that this was an issue for years and have failed to act.

Do you support or oppose the creation of Buckhead City? Why or why not?

Full disclosure — I live in Buckhead.
I feel that we can be stronger together. We do have to address the specific issues that have prompted this movement. Further, we have to be more open and amenable to working with Buckhead. Right now, too many in Buckhead feel marginalized and ignored. It shouldn’t take a cityhood movement to get the city to act.

How would your administration react to the creation of Buckhead City and the resulting loss of a major residential, commercial and cultural center and significant source of tax revenue? How would you respond to residents and businesses in that community if cityhood were rejected?

Full disclosure — I live in Buckhead.

If Buckhead city is approved, we’ll cross that bridge together. I feel that the city will manage and it doesn’t change our fundamental obligations to the citizens of either city.

This will likely be on the ballot in November 2022 and we have to target the undecided Buckhead residents. The narrative that Atlanta will lose a “significant source of tax revenue” is not one that we should be repeating. This is essentially admitting that Atlanta relies on Buckhead as a piggy bank and needs them to fund the city. This won’t convince too many undecideds to stay.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Aside from crime, my other top priorities are basic city services and addressing homelessness.

Currently, the city is failing in providing basic city services. This includes trash removal, road & sidewalk maintenance, and park maintenance. We have to get rid of the blight and trash that permeates too many of our neighborhoods. No one deserves to live next to lots filled with trash, mattresses, furniture, and other garbage. Too many neighborhoods have been ignored, abandoned by the city, and marginalized for too long. We will literally clean up these neighborhoods – this tells the residents that we care about them, we value them, and they deserve better. The Forest Cove Apartments are a perfect example – the units should be condemned and the residents put into safe and dignified housing and buildings demolished. How we allow children to live in those apartments is beyond me. As with crime, our current elected officials have known that this was an issue and have failed to act

City Hall defers homeless services to the goodwill and charity of dozens of non-profits. This is unacceptable and is not a longer-term, viable plan. Homelessness continues to get worse and worse each year and the city currently does not have a plan in place to assist our most vulnerable citizens. With homelessness, we need to be mindful to separate compassion and tolerance. I believe we all have compassion and a desire to see homelessness ended. However, we cannot tolerate and allow our brothers and sisters to live on the streets. I will direct homeless support based on a housing-first policy, with full resources and support to help transition them to stable and independent living situations. The resources include health (medical and mental), addiction support, job training, job placement, and social services. I want to set up a framework to strategically attack and address homelessness. This includes eventually working our way up to the at-risk group and hopefully cutting off the pipeline that dumps people into homelessness (the two biggest drivers being job loss/eviction and addiction).

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

The best advice ever shared with me was:

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?