In January 2006, approximately 100 residents of the Magnolia Cove Apartment Complex in East Point, Georgia were told to leave their homes immediately, after the Georgia Natural Gas company shut off gas service to the complex. The eviction came without warning to the tenants, and they did not have sufficient time to find alternative accommodation. Most had already paid rent for the next month. The Mayor’s office said it would assist the evictees to find alternative accommodation. Surprise Evictions Anger Residents 11Alive (7 Jan. 2006) AP, http://www.11alive.com/includes/tools/print.aspx?storyid=74258 Residents at the Magnolia Cove Apartments were told Saturday morning they will have to leave their homes immediately because Georgia Natural Gas company is shutting off gas service to the complex. Magnolia Cove management received a letter from the gas provider Friday notifying them that the gas could be turned off at any moment. Management copied and distributed the letters along with eviction notices to residents Saturday morning. Residents say the surprise evictions are the latest in a series of issues they have had with Magnolia Cove. Jimmie Maddox told 11Alive that he had complained to management about crumbling walls, broken plumbing, broken toilets and other concerns that have never been resolved. Other residents said they were more upset over receiving the eviction notices after paying their January rent. They got my money and then told me I had to go, that ain’t right, said Darren Gibson. I need a place to stay, I’m not able to pack up my bags and move just like that. The East Point Mayor’s office said it is aware of the situation and is working to find new homes for the displaced residents as soon as possible. Magnolia Cove was home to about 100 people, tenants said. Judge Orders Unsafe Apts. Closed Michael King, 11Alive (11 Jan. 2006), http://www.11alive.com/includes/tools/print.aspx?storyid=74472 Owners of a Metro Atlanta apartment complex face millions of dollars in fines after admitting in court on Wednesday that their complex is unsafe. So a judge ordered the residents out, and the complex shut down -- fast. In court, with frustrated residents looking on, a representative of Magnolia Cove Apartments in East Point admitted the complex is unsafe, and pleaded no contest to 66 fire code violations. Then, East Point Solicitor William Mateos asked for the maximum fines to be levied against the owners, $1,000 per violation, per day, which in this case adds up to millions of dollars. “It sends a message to anyone in East Point, that if you`re going to run this raggedy housing, and you`re going to put people and children at jeopardy, then you`re going to pay the penalty,” Mateos said. The attorney for the owners says they’ve struggled to provide affordable housing for low-income residents. Their death blow struck them late last year, the attorney said. They thought they`d secured $2 million in refinancing. At the last minute, the lender pulled out. Judge Rashida Oliver says she`ll announce the sentence on January 17, and she ordered the residents to move out by the end of the month, for their own safety. Most say they have no cash to pay for moving expenses and security deposits elsewhere, even though Magnolia Cove is refunding their rent for January. “It’s not okay,” resident Valerie Emory said. “There are children involved, and lives. We may not be the richest or the smartest out there. But we have common sense. And common sense is telling us this is not right.” The judge told the owners that they have until Tuesday to come up with a plan to move the residents out at the company`s expense. Sentencing on Unsafe Apartments Elaine Reyes, 11Alive (17 Jan. 2006), http://www.11alive.com/includes/tools/print.aspx?storyid=74737 Sentencing Tuesday for 66 fire code violations awaits the owners of a dilapidated apartment complex in Eas

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