Hello! Our names are Ruhee Merchant (Policy Development Director & Senior Advisor) and Shriya Garg (Co-Executive Director). Ruhee is a senior majoring in Regenerative Bioscience and minoring in Spanish and Public Health. Shriya is a third-year student studying Genetics and Economics, on the pre-med track! In this post, we will talk about how Athenians face exacerbated healthcare costs due to market consolidation and limited healthcare competition. We also point to potential s

This is Cole Hendricks, the lead for policy analysis at API. In 2026, center members are continuing to look at the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Commission’s activities relative to each subject covered by API’s policy centers. This month, they focused on the shorter December session and the January session. Criminal Justice by Zoe Cannon In December 2025, a local oversight board discussed ICE policy with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) to establish the detail

Hello! My name is Kaitlyn Hood and I am the co-lead for the Housing Insecurity Center. I am a third year student studying International Affairs and Economics! In this post, I will talk about how Georgians– and more specifically, Athenians– managed the fall 2025 government shutdown’s impact on affordable housing programs as well as how an Affordable Housing Fund could help alleviate some of the challenges posed by losing federal support. “Every extra day that a shutdown goes