ARE YOU READY TO FIGHT FOR YOUR HOME?

The only reason we've been able to stay in our homes for the past 8 years is because of the support of the community and of our neighbors! Please sign our petition and ask ATL Mayor Bottoms to do the right thing and call off the evictions she is directing.

Residents have had enough. Valaire Wimby has lived in Forest Cove for over 40 years. “There are a lot of rats, we get roaches, we get mold, mildew. My neighbor next door, the wood is all rotten. Piles of trash lay out in the walkway. The buildings are condemned,” she says. “I’ve seen it all, and by the grace of God I’m still here.” Marchella Heard, another Forest Cove Resident, says "Living in Forest Cove has been horrific. My kids can’t play outside. The floor is caving in, the walls are coming down, my apartment is falling down around me.” We are submitting this petition to supplement and support the petition that was signed by over 100 Forest Cove residents and delivered to Millennia, HUD, and several elected officials on February 19, 2021. Since then, Millennia has finally closed on the property and has initiated relocation meetings with residents, however residents are still dealing with inadequate maintenance and it is still not clear when they will be moved from the property. The original petition text is below: TO: Millennia Housing Management, Ltd. (MHM) Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Mayor Keisha Lance-Bottoms Chief Housing Officer Terri Lee Fulton County Commissioner Marvin S. Arrington, Jr. GA State Representative David Dreyer GA State Senator Nan Orrock U.S. Representative Nikema Williams U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff We, the undersigned residents of Forest Cove Apartments, have been waiting for our living conditions to improve for years. When MHM took over the property and expressed its plan to renovate it, we were hopeful that we would finally see some positive changes. However, it has been years, and still nothing has changed. We have been told that before the renovation can begin, MHM must first purchase Forest Cove from its current owner, Global Ministries Foundation (GMF). However, whenever MHM gives us a timeline, the dates shift. We understand that the closing process may be long and complicated, but we are unable to wait any longer for our situation to improve. As this process drags on, residents continue to languish in inhumane conditions. It is shameful that so many of us have injuries and health problems from our units. Years after MHM took over the management of Forest Cove from GMF, we are still dealing with broken appliances, rats, mold, leaks, and structurally unsound units. No human deserves to live like this. The top priority of MHM and HUD should be to ensure that all residents are able to live comfortably and safely. We do not believe that MHM or HUD are approaching this situation with the urgency that it requires. We are demanding: 1. That HUD expedite the pass-through leasing process. We want the process to begin in no more than 60 days. 2. That all residents who would like to return after the renovation receive the right to return at full affordability. 3. That between now and the start of the renovation, residents receive the groundskeeping and maintenance services that we need to remain comfortable while we wait to be relocated. 4. That a security company be hired to keep residents safe between now and the completion of the relocation. We are asking our city, county, and state officials for your support. Hopefully this process will be able to speed up with your awareness and urging. Sincerely, The Tenants of Forest Cove Apartments

CAMPAIGN UPDATE After agreeing to sell Ms. Juliet her home, Dustin Maxwell is now going back on his word and seeking a writ of possession. Ms. Juliet has secured financing and a loan. All Dustin has to do is sign the deal. Instead, he is taking her case to superior court to get a writ of possession to evict Ms. Juliet. His behavior is despicable. More background: In late November 2021, HJL was able to negotiate a deal with Dustin to sell the home to Ms. Juliet. We agreed to a price and that the financing would need to be in place by Feb 1st. We asked to have until March but he wouldn't budge. Getting financing together was a lot of work, the Holidays and Omicron variant of Covid19 made everything slower. We didn't have the money we really needed until the first few days of February. We had our purchasing agreement ready and sent over for Dustin to sign on February 18th. He never signed or responded, and neither did his lawyer. We feared the worst but hoped for the best. On April 11 Dustin came to the zoom court meeting agitated and said he was tired of dealing with Ms. Juliet and that he wanted a writ of possession because we didn't have everything by Feb 1st. Our lawyer did great, Judge Williams also was on our side, encouraging Dustin to take the money and explained that financing takes time. Dustin didn't budge. Juliet Brown’s eviction case is officially moving to the GA Superior Court after the DeKalb County Magistrate Court judge refused to grant a writ of possession to the landlord. The landlord has been unresponsive for the past month, even after he was presented with a finalized Purchase Agreement with the agreed-upon terms. The Superior Court extension will delay the process for a few more months. Original petition: Ms. Juliet, a Black elder of Decatur, is being forced out of her home so her landlord can sell it for a profit. Ms. Juliet is a beloved community member and has worked at a local public school serving food for 15 years. In the 27 years of living in her home, Ms. Juliet has paid what the house is worth with her rent at least 2 times over. Now her neighborhood is gentrifying, and her landlord refuses to renew the lease so he can make a profit. She is a single, low-income widow with chronic health issues, and she does not have the funds to move. Ms. Juliet does not have anywhere else to go. Her landlord, Dustin, promised her when he bought the home 3 years ago that he wanted her to stay. Now, he’s going back on his word and trying to kick her out onto the street just to make a profit. Dustin has failed to do basic maintenance at Ms Juliet’s home, leaving her without heat for 3 months in the winter. Dustin is a big time investor with over 400 rental units. He has no right to profit from kicking Ms Juliet out of her house. We must hold him and his corporation, Jetsetter Capital, accountable to their violence.