Police in Atlanta recently reported that they found 150 code violations at the Forest Cove Apartments at 900 New Town Circle during an investigation conducted there over the summer. The violations included broken windows, open and improperly boarded vacant units, abandoned cars, burned buildings, and heaps of trash. The apartments, which are still being occupied by tenants, prompted representatives from the police departments to state, “We are appalled that some property owners and landlords have no shame or feel no responsibility to do what is right when it comes to living conditions like this.”
Forest Cove, a Section 8 complex, has been the subject of tenant complaints for years, with police in 2018 reporting that they had responded to 197 violations in a period of four months. At that time, the solicitor’s office had begun an investigation. A resident who lived in the complex at that time stated that she could not even cook for her children in her apartment because there were rats nesting in the stove. She noted that few people cared or paid attention to the extreme conditions in the low-income apartment complex because the neighborhood has such a bad reputation.
Property owners are legally responsible for ensuring that their property is free from hazards that pose unreasonable risks to guests and visitors. This includes regularly inspecting the property and promptly repairing unsafe features and placing prominent warning signs near hazards that have yet to be repaired. Have you been injured due to an unsafe property feature at your apartment complex or at a local business? If so, let one of our experienced attorneys explain to you the process of obtaining compensation for your injuries through a premises liability claim. For your free case evaluation, contact Cambre & Associates online or by calling 404-400-4100.
