Fulton County Approves $1.3B for Jail Renovations and New Facility

The funding will be used to upgrade housing, build a new special-purpose jail, and demolish older facilities.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 8:22am

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The Fulton County Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved a $1.3 billion plan to improve conditions at the Fulton County Jail. The funds will be used to renovate housing spaces, construct a new special-purpose facility, and demolish older jail buildings near the current site.

Why it matters

The Fulton County Jail has faced longstanding issues with crumbling infrastructure and overcrowding, housing around 2,000 inmates despite being built for 1,500. This major investment aims to address these problems and modernize the county's correctional facilities.

The details

The capital improvement program will renovate housing spaces inside the existing jail, build a new special-purpose facility, and demolish older buildings near the jail. Fulton County Chair Robb Pitts introduced a five-point plan for the jail improvements, which the commissioners approved unanimously. However, Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat said his office was not consulted on the plan before it was introduced.

  • The Rice Street jail renovations are expected to be completed by 2023.
  • Construction on the new special-purpose facility is planned to begin in 2028, with an opening target of 2031.

The players

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

The governing body of Fulton County, Georgia that approved the $1.3 billion plan for jail improvements.

Robb Pitts

The chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners who introduced the five-point plan for jail upgrades.

Patrick Labat

The Fulton County Sheriff who was critical of not being consulted on the improvement plan before it was introduced.

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What they’re saying

“This is the right thing to do and a historic step forward for the Fulton County Jail.”

— Robb Pitts, Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chair

“Let's be clear, we didn't see the plan. We had no line of sight of the plan, only that it was occurring, so I think that's a bit disingenuous.”

— Patrick Labat, Fulton County Sheriff

What’s next

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners will oversee the implementation of the jail improvement plan, with the Rice Street jail renovations targeted for completion by 2023 and construction on the new special-purpose facility beginning in 2028.

The takeaway

This major $1.3 billion investment in Fulton County's correctional facilities aims to address longstanding issues of overcrowding and aging infrastructure at the county jail. While the plan was approved unanimously by the Board of Commissioners, the lack of consultation with the Sheriff's Office raises questions about coordination and transparency in the process.