About the DeKalb Cityhood Movement (DCM)

Our History

We, The DeKalb Cityhood Movement (DCM), are members of a larger collection of community members in unincorporated DeKalb County that are interested in forming a city in southern DeKalb.

We began our efforts in 2014. Our first bill to sponsor a city was introduced in 2015. It is now 2021. We have been persistently and actively engaged for 8 years. During that time we continued to meet all the requirements for southern DeKalb residents to get a vote.

Citizens of every other new city initiative have had an opportunity to vote up or down on a municipal incorporation referendum EXCEPT citizens in southern DeKalb. Since the laws changed in 2000, there is no effort to form a city that hasn't been approved.

We have continually demonstrated support for forming a city. We submitted petitions with 1,200 signatures to the DeKalb County delegation, took 40 people to the Capitol in 2015, about 50 people in 2017, and had a citizens’ rally at the Capitol in 2018.

In 2019, a bill was sponsored in DeKalb County that would allow another potential city in DeKalb County to have their second referendum to vote before residents of southern DeKalb got their first opportunity to vote.

And now we watch Buckhead with all its legal, financial, social and political implications, get a bill sponsored to secede from the City of Atlanta. We watched the same thing in 2017 when Eagles Landing attempted to secede from another city.

We ask, "WHY HAVE WE BEEN DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE" on how we want to govern?!" We are asked to vote for candidates and issues important to others. Now we ask for the opportunity to vote for us!

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Our Vision for a City of DeKalb

An Innovative, Diverse, Global City

If a city of DeKalb becomes a reality, this could be the beginning of a city that attracts investment, jobs, new development, and be a progressive community where green energy is a centerpiece of its way of life and economy. This burgeoning international city could attract diverse residents that represent a creative, attractive, planned growth city with an artistic, intelligent, and involved citizenry.

Demographically, due to its emphasis on art and transportation, the new city could attract a highly technical, creative, and international population. A younger and more educated population will be attracted to the city of DeKalb’s emphasis on the environment and green industries.

The city of DeKalb will be positioned to be at the cutting edge of local government-public school partnerships. The existing distance between two entities whose outcomes are dependent on each other (businesses and governments hire graduates; schools depend on interaction and partnerships with businesses and government) is unacceptable. The new city will be a forerunner of partnering with public and charter schools.

In summary, the city of DeKalb would be a symbol of innovation, green industry, planned economic growth and revitalization, and citizen involvement.

This is a vision that early city advocates embraced. Visions can change. We encourage you to share yours.

A city with a green, sustainable environment.