Recognizing the need for a holistic approach to combat street-level prostitution, the City of Atlanta has convened a Working Group to Reduce Prostitution to collaborate with key stakeholders and bring back recommendations to the Administration and City Council.

The current “Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution” legislation will be held until the Working Group is ready to report back with new or amended legislation.

The scope of the Working Group, which includes Midtown Ponce Security Alliance President Peggy Denby, will be focused on a proposal for curbing street-level prostitution. The proposal should give the Atlanta Police Department additional tools to fight prostitution, fairly and appropriately address the demand and the supply side of the issue and draw on the best practices in place across the country to deter street-level prostitution.

The following members of the Working Group were appointed by the City’s Chief Operating Officer, Duriya Farooqui and Councilman Michael Julian Bond, Chairman of the Atlanta City Council’s Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee.

Kristin Wilson, Innovation Delivery Team, City of Atlanta
Candace Byrd, Chief of Staff, City of Atlanta 
Melissa Mullinax, Public Affairs/Office of Chief Operating Officer, City of Atlanta
Amber Robinson, Law Department, City of Atlanta
Lt. Scott Kreher, Atlanta Police Department, City of Atlanta
Alice Johnson, Atlanta Police Department, City of Atlanta
Raines Carter, City Solicitor, City of Atlanta
Rosalie Joy, Public Defender, City of Atlanta
Stephanie Davis, Executive Director, GA Women for a Change
Peggy Denby, President, Midtown-Ponce Security Alliance
Xochitl Bervera, Director, Racial Justice Action Center
Jeff Graham, Director, Georgia Equality
Terence McPhaul, Director, YouthPride
Douglas Dean,  Resident, Pittsburgh Community
Bill Cannon,  Resident, Booker T. Washington Community
Donna Hubbard, Pastor, Women at the Well Transition Center

"Maintaining safe neighborhoods and effectively reducing prostitution are the guiding principles for any legislative remedy and should inform the collaboration of the newly formed Working Group to Reduce Prostitution," Duriya Farooqui, Atlanta's Chief Operating Officer, said in a release. "The City has clearly heard the concerns of residents and businesses across the spectrum of this issue. We believe continued discussion can result in an improved proposal as well as strong collaboration with the service and advocacy organizations already making a significant difference."

In the coming weeks, a schedule of public meetings soliciting input will be published on the City of Atlanta website. Additionally, comments can be submitted to the Working Group through email at wgop@atlantaga.gov.