With World Cup, Atlanta seeks to show how it has moved on from 1990s notoriety

ATLANTA, June 5 : When Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympics, police were accused of arresting homeless people by the thousands. The crackdown resulted in a welter of lawsuits and news stories that caused long-term damage to the city's reputation.

Now the Georgia state capital is looking to show the world that it has moved on, as it hosts World Cup games this summer. The event is expected to draw 500,000 visitors and have an economic impact ranging from $500 million to over $1 billion, according to a study commissioned by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Atlanta has ordered new train cars for its transit system, brightened downtown with new murals, and spruced up the Mercedes-Benz Stadium for eight World Cup matches, including a semi-final.

Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens has made addressing homelessness a priority. A $60 million program was launched two years ago, the largest effort in Atlanta's history. In May the program neared the goal of building 500 tiny apartments that can be transitional or permanent for people who have been homeless.

The homeless population is around 3,000 in a city of half a million, according to federal government figures, a relatively low rate compared to many other U.S. metro areas.

But there is still too much of an emphasis on moving on homeless people without giving them the support they need, homelessness advocates say.

Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said Atlanta had improved how it works with homeless people since the 1990s, but that the city was clearing camps without offering enough effective services or housing.

Michael Nolan, a counselor who has worked with homeless people in Atlanta for many years, had a similar view.

"Today, the city talks