Two members of the public spoke during the committee’s public comment period Nov. 10 about homelessness relief and e-scooter safety.

Leroy McGee, who identified himself as a volunteer activist for low-income and homeless communities and founder of a local nonprofit, said his organization has purchased emergency blankets for the unhoused for the last two years but is facing financial hardship. He said he sent emails to councilmembers and started a GoFundMe; with a cold snap beginning he asked each councilmember to consider purchasing a box of emergency blankets (he stated "300 it's 300 for a $160"), and offered to pick up and distribute donated boxes.

Riva Benoit, a Fulton County resident in West Midtown, described multiple scooter accidents — including a 12-year-old who fell and a woman whose scooter was wedged against a car — and said she had spoken with hospital staff who described scooter injuries; she told the committee she has seen reported deaths from scooters and asked the council to initiate a vote to remove or more tightly regulate scooters in her neighborhood.

Why it matters: Commenters asked for immediate, low-cost humanitarian relief (blankets) as well as policy action on e-scooter safety. The committee did not take formal action on these requests during this meeting; the public-defender and APD briefings followed the public-comment period.