Ivory Lee Young Jr. Image via the Atlanta City Council.

Ivory Lee Young Jr., District 3 Atlanta City Council member, passed away this morning peacefully. Young had been on leave since early September. He was 56 years old.

Young was hospitalized in early October after a fall left him unresponsive and with severe brain damage, CBS46 reports. He was battling an ongoing illness at the time.

During his council tenure, helped craft policy impacting the long term success of the city, according to an Atlanta City Council Facebook Post. With support from former Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration through the Department of Planning, Young successfully completed “Westside Revive,” an initiative that created redevelopment plans for neighborhoods that have not benefited from traditional economic opportunities.

Young was also active in the redevelopment of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive corridor, and his efforts created more than $65 million for the completion of the Historic Westside Village project, the council reports.

Atlanta’s police and fire department were of paramount importance to Young. Throughout his district, young invested in new training and equipment as well as infrastructure improvements and cameras. Young also supported the Atlanta Citizens Review Board and abolished the Disorderly Conduct 6 statute that unfairly profiled citizens in undeserved neighborhoods, according to the council.

When he passed, Young was serving on the the council’s City Utilities and Community Development/Human Services committees as well as the Committee on Council, according to the council. He served as a member of most of the council committees including serving as chair of the Zoning Committee.

When asked what message he wanted to share with constituents in his absence, Young said, “Atlanta City Council District 3 is alive and well,” the council reports. “We have challenges that we have to overcome in the city… [but] we’re excited about the future.”