Reed wants H. Lamar Willis to serve on land bank authority
Mayor taps former councilmember, disbarred lawyer, and political ally for potential appointment
- Max Blau/CL File
- Former Councilman H. Lamar Willis stands outside City Hall
Less than two years ago, Atlanta voters decided that Atlanta City Councilman H. Lamar Willis' 12 years in office were enough. His successor, Councilman Andre Dickens, received 2,500 more votes than Willis following a bitter campaign featuring anonymous smear websites, supporters shuttled to press conferences, and good ol' fashioned mudslinging. Willis returned to life as private citizen.
But Willis could soon be serving the city in a new capacity. Mayor Kasim Reed has asked Council to consider the appointment of one of their old peers to the Fulton County-Atlanta Land Bank Authority, the government body tasked with guiding vacant, abandoned, and tax-foreclosed properties toward redevelopment. The authority, which has had a limited impact to date, is expected to play a bigger role as the city overhauls its housing policy.
In a May 27 letter to Council, Reed said he was "confident" Willis would serve the city with "integrity and dedication" in the post. Willis, who was disbarred one month before the 2013 election, has since spent his days getting his mobile video game business off the ground (and busting his dance moves!). We've included a copy of the mayor's letter at the bottom of the post.
Chris Norman, executive director of the Land Bank Authority, declined to comment on the Willis appointment. The former councilman's selection comes at a time when city officials are looking to potentially expand the authority's role to help address blight. The sleepy agency has run a bare-bones operation that relies on limited resources with a small staff. The number of properties in its possession, which number in the dozens, could soon increase with additional cash plus a renewed focus on growing the city's affordable housing stock.
Dickens, who now chairs the Community Development/Human Resources Committee where Willis will be vetted, tells CL has was "surprised" to hear about the appointment. He said the appointment, which would be vetted like any other, would be discussed during an upcoming committee meeting. The process could require Willis to appear before his old colleagues.
Willis, who confirms the mayor had asked him to fill the appointed seat, tells CL he didn't know that much about the ins and outs of the authority. For him, the potential board seat is more about serving the people of Atlanta in a general sense than an interest in the authority. He pointed to his past experience as a policymaker for proof of his track record.
"I personally have no comment," Willis said today in a short conversation. "I'm out of public life. I've been asked to serve at the pleasure of the mayor and the Council. That's my only comment."
When asked for further explanation about Willis' qualifications, Mayor Kasim Reed Senior Adviser Melissa Mullinax referred CL to Willis' resume. His resume lists experience sponsoring legislation for the Atlanta Beltline, serving as the city's representative to the Atlanta Regional Commission, and more than a decade of experience in real estate law. She did not comment on Willis' past ethical mistteps.
"Lamar Willis is an engaged community leader with a record of public service and a background in community development and real estate," Mullinax says. "We have every confidence that he will serve the Land Bank Authority with integrity and dedication.
The appointment will require approval from Atlanta City Council at an upcoming meeting.
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