U.S. mayors bring affordability concerns to Atlanta during last stop of national tour

Before a family buys groceries, pays for childcare, or fills the gas tank, one expense often determines what is left for everything else.

"There's a saying that the rent eats first, and that's true," said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.

For the mayors gathered Thursday at Azalea Fresh Market in downtown Atlanta, housing was the biggest concern in a broader affordability crisis reaching into nearly every part of their residents' lives.

"We will always have that fixed first-of-the-month payment that you know that you're going to have to make, and how large that amount is determines how much money you have for food, for childcare, for health care," Gloria said.

Gloria, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, joined Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and the mayors of Columbia, South Carolina; Cincinnati; and Hartford, Connecticut, for the final stop of the organization's National Affordability Tour.

Their bipartisan message: Cities are working to make everyday life more affordable, but local solutions need stronger partnerships, including help from Washington.

Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann described the everyday squeeze in terms familiar to Southern households: "Gas, groceries and grits."

Housing, transportation and food costs were recurring themes throughout the gathering. The mayors described families struggling to cover necessities while city governments face growing demands for help.

A survey of 113 mayors commissioned by the conference found that 96% said their residents were very or extremely concerned about affordability.

Nearly 93% said the cost of living in their cities had worsened over the past year, including 39% who said it had worsened significantly. Ninety-six percent identified housing costs as a driver of the crisis.

Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam called for restoring SNAP benefits, emphasizing the pressure on families who need assistance buying food.  He also questioned how much local governments can be expected to shoulder as residents struggle with food, childcare, and housing expenses.

Dickens linked the affordability squeeze in part to decisions made in Washington, arguing that cities are left to respond to the consequences with limited resources.

"Cities are always aware, and we are doing all that we can about it, but what do we have at our disposal?" Dickens said. "Property taxes and a little bit of this and that. But it's not enough."

The setting was itself an example of a local response. Azalea Fresh Market opened in 2025 through a public-private partnership involving the City of Atlanta, Invest Atlanta and Savi Provisions. Located in the historic Olympia Building on Peachtree Street, it was created to reduce barriers to grocery access downtown while supporting local businesses.

Dickens said the store had served more than 250,000 customers over the past year.  He also pointed to plans for a second location on Campbellton Road set to open sometime in December.

Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta, the city's economic development authority, connected the market's mission to the larger household budget.

"If you're able to address housing, transportation and grocery, you're really making a difference in someone's life," Klementich said.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval pointed to Atlanta's approach as a potential national model, highlighting the role of partnerships in making projects such as the market possible.

But he said local initiative needs federal investment behind it.  

"Mayors get it done, without a doubt. But we rely on partnerships," Pureval said.

The conference is calling for federal action to support local efforts to lower everyday costs.  Its survey also describes a difficult balance for cities:  responding to increased demand for assistance while trying to offer relief through lower taxes and fees.

Atlanta will host a larger gathering next June, when about 300 mayors from around the country are expected for the U.S. Conference of Mayors' annual meeting.