Atlanta City Council how to address blighted areas [Video]

ATLANTA — Just as he shapes up his client’s beard, Privado Grooming barbershop owner Sam Glickman hopes to shape up his community. The shape of the Atlanta skyline has certainly changed around the historic Vine City neighborhood, where his shop has stood for six years. However, Glickman has seen overgrown grass, boarded-up buildings and trash blight the community for a while.

“There’s hope all around you because you see so much success,” Glickman said. “But I have a house next door that looks the same way it did six years ago. We got rats, 12-15 inches next door, look like little squirrels. Thank God they don’t run in here. You got ants literally the size of spiders. We have a lack of shelter here, so squatters find places to live at, and those places end up being abandoned homes like the one next door.”

Atlanta city leaders will consider a measure next Tuesday that would allow the city …