After a clear victory for Andre Dickens, the sitting mayor is getting ready to start a second 4-year term in Atlanta.

Dickens, a registered Independent, won with 85% of the vote on Nov. 4 as a clear progress report on his time at the helm.

The mayor said in his victory speech he was excited to continue his work on the "group project" that is Atlanta, continuing projects and programs he championed after he took office in 2022.

So what was Dickens able to accomplish in his first term, and what can Atlantans expect from four more years?

Crime reduction under Dickens

A cornerstone of Dickens' policy in Atlanta includes programs aimed at reducing crime across the city, including through programs like the Nightlight Division and the Light Up the Night initiative.

In 2023, there was a 21% reduction in homicides across the city, according to the mayor's office.

That trend continued through 2024 and into the first half of this year. As of June, homicides were again down 30%, according to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Shootings are down 21% from January to June, and thefts of motor vehicles have decreased by 41%.

But it's not just violent crime. Property crime is down 13% in the first half of the year, overall crime is down 10% and emergency answer times have improved by 50%, the foundation says.

Crime reduction remains a core part of Dickens' message.

Dickens' confrontational moments

Atlantans and Dickens clashed when the Atlanta City Council approved the construction of a police and firefighter training facility, colloquially called "cop city," in 2023.

Dickens said the move would establish Atlanta as a model for police reform while residents said it would militarize the police force and take away from the agency's focus on social problems.

The mayor also helped to prevent the annexation of Buckhead, one of Atlanta's wealthiest areas, and has focused on a goal of 20,000 affordable housing units being built by 2030, of which half have started construction.

After a rally in Atlanta for Donald Trump in 2024 where the President said the city had "gone to hell" and was a "killing field," Dickens disputed these claims by noting Atlanta had one of the most significant drops in crime in its history under his leadership.

Atlanta prepares for World Cup

Atlanta will be one of 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a test for the city's infrastructure and public transportation.

MARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, has worked to upgrade stations and train routes, including the station closest to Mercedes-Benz stadium where the matches will be held. Aside from infrastructure improvements, MARTA has focused on better signage for international visitors.

Dickens has not made public transportation a major focus on his campaigns, and took a step back from a rail line along the Eastside Beltline trail. Instead, the mayor is focusing on other "higher-need" areas with multi-year timelines, the AP reports.

"I want people to leave knowing our culture, having supported our small businesses, having experienced Atlanta so that they might want to come back as a vacation or bring their business here, open an office here," Dickens told the outlet.

Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What should Atlanta expect from Andre Dickens's second mayoral term?

Reporting by Irene Wright, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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