ATLANTA — A disabled veteran living in Atlanta is wondering where he’ll live next because repairs on his apartment are forcing him to leave his home.
The apartment complex is offering him a similar unit to live in, but on a fixed income, Robert Weems told Channel 2′s Michael Doudna he doesn’t know if he, and others living in the complex like him, can afford the move.
At the property on Lenox Road, property managers told Channel 2 Action News they’re dealing with small margins and can’t offer more than what is legally required, even as it offers some of the more affordable rental units in Atlanta.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Managers said their margins are thin, but residents said the same, as they rely on these units to stay off the streets.
“I paid my rent ever single month, ahead of time, in full,” Weems told Doudna.
He’s a disabled veteran who served the country for 16 years, but now, the dozens of people on his floor must move out of their apartments at Lenox Hills because the building is breaking down.
TRENDING STORIES:
- People across North Georgia report thousands of sightings of giant ‘flying’ spiders
- Cancer survivors, volunteers advocate in Washington for increased access to early detection testing
- Bomb threats made against several metro Atlanta schools
“You can make the wall move,” Weems showed Channel 2 Action News during a tour of his apartment. “It’s very stressful, it makes you lay in bed at night wondering what your next step is.”
The apartment complex, as legally required, has given notice of terminating Weems’ lease and offering a similar apartment, but it’s not required to pay for his moving expenses.
“It takes thousands of dollars to move,” Weems said.
It’s something Weems said he isn’t sure he can afford while living on a fixed income.
“If I missed a couple of meals next month, I might be able to afford it, but that would still be pushing it,” Weems said. “People don’t just have that these days lying around to waste.”
Michelle Holberg, who represents the complex’s landlord, says owners of low-rent units often can’t make exceptions because of how thin their margins are.
“Unfortunately, we are required to treat everyone [equally] across the board,” she said. “It’s a super complicated path.”
Adding in costly repairs for units that go for below-market rates, every dollar counts to provide even an option of affordable housing to residents.
“It’s absolutely critical that everything is managed as closely as possible to make sure they keep the property stable,” Holberg said.
But caught in those margins are people like Weems, who fears without help, he may be one step from losing his home.
“It’s a big question mark because you don’t know where you are going from here, what’s going to happen,” Weems said.
According to Holberg, you do see a higher rate of units not being paid for and many mom-and-pop-owned complexes lack the reserves to have units that aren’t paying.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to some veteran groups to see if help for Weems can be found.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN OTHER NEWS:
This browser does not support the video element.