On Monday, September 2, 2025, the Atlanta City Council approved a measure directing Invest Atlanta to use remaining dollars from the Atlanta Recovery Fund to help small businesses along Cascade Road.
The Recovery Fund was first created in 2024 after citywide water main breaks forced many businesses to temporarily close. With ongoing water and sewer projects now affecting Cascade Road from Harbin Road to Cascade Circle SW, Councilmembers voted to extend the fund’s life through December 31, 2025, giving neighborhood businesses access to financial relief during construction.
During the construction of Phase 1 of Cascade Road Complete Streets project businesses were dealing with detours on the east and west end of construction, making it difficult for people to get to the retail spaces in the middle of the construction area along Cascade Road. Along with access issues, Overstreet said that impacted businesses were also dealing with the citywide water main breaks as well as water pipe connection issues during construction.
For Cascade, the challenge has been about more than detours and lost traffic. Councilmember Marci Collier Overstreet, who represents the area, recalled how directly owners made their case:
“Our business node, our commercial business node, was really struggling during our Cascade Complete Streets project. They called me in and also came down to Council to talk about what they needed from the City. I went to the Mayor and I also spoke with COO LaChandra Burks, who came to community meetings with us as well. They were instrumental in making sure we were able to gather all of the information and that’s when the legislation was authored.”
Overstreet said the funding will not only stabilize businesses but also position them to thrive. “This fund will absolutely help these businesses get back on their feet the way they deserve to be. We want them to be even stronger than they were before the Complete Streets project ever happened,” she added.
Invest Atlanta, working with the Department of Watershed Management and the Department of Finance, will develop eligibility criteria and an application process for affected businesses. Any unused funds after the deadline will return to the City’s Water & Sewer Revenue Fund.
For more information on how businesses can apply for assistance, visit investatlanta.com or call Invest Atlanta’s Small Business Development team at (404) 880–4100.
