ATLANTA, Ga. — Residents at an Atlanta apartment complex say squatters have been breaking into vacant units for more than a year, raising concerns about safety, security and property conditions.
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Tenants at Centennial Place Apartment Homes, located on Centennial Olympic Park Drive near Georgia Tech and the World of Coca-Cola, told Channel 2 Action News that people have repeatedly forced their way into empty apartments and turned them into makeshift living spaces.
Renters told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln there are two homeless shelters nearby, and they say when those facilities reach capacity, some people break into vacant apartments looking for shelter.
Resident Glenda Harvey became emotional as she described the conditions.
“Why would you want your property even looking like this?” Harvey said.
Harvey said people have broken windows and kicked in doors to gain access to vacant apartments.
“They break windows. They’ve kicked in doors by whatever means necessary so they could have somewhere to stay,” she said.
During a walk through the complex, residents pointed to multiple vacant units with shattered windows and open doors they said had been occupied by squatters.
“For something like this to be going on and children around, anything can happen,” resident Tedric Gordon said.
Harvey said she believes the property has fallen into disrepair.
“If you don’t want to fix it up, give it to someone that wants to do it and make it look good. This looks like Techwood 2.0. This is an embarrassment,” she said.
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The apartment complex sits on the former site of Techwood Homes, the nation’s first federally funded public housing project. The development was demolished in 1996 ahead of the Atlanta Olympics after years of crime and deteriorating conditions. Centennial Place was later built on the site.
Channel 2 visited several of the vacant units identified by residents, but no one answered when Lincoln knocked on the doors.
The property is owned by Atlanta-based Integral Property Management.
In a statement, the company said it has worked with the Atlanta Police Department to remove people unlawfully occupying vacant apartments.
“Over the past two weeks, working in partnership with the Atlanta Police Department, approximately ten individuals who were unlawfully occupying vacant apartments have been removed from the property, including four arrests on Wednesday alone,” the statement said.
The company said criminal trespassing and unlawful occupancy require law enforcement action and that property managers do not have the authority to arrest or prosecute offenders.
Integral Property Management said it has expanded security patrols, increased oversight of courtesy officers and is working with the Atlanta Police Department, Georgia Tech, the Westside Future Fund and local elected officials to improve security. The company also said it is adding maintenance resources and increasing operational oversight to address residents’ concerns.
The Atlanta Housing Authority, which provides housing subsidies at the property but does not own or manage it, said it has notified ownership and management about residents’ complaints.
“Atlanta Housing is committed to ensuring that all residents receiving housing assistance through our programs have access to safe, quality and affordable housing,” the agency said in a statement. “As a stakeholder and rent subsidy provider, we have a vested interest in ensuring they are meeting all contractual and regulatory obligations, including maintenance, upkeep and safety.”
Federal inspection records show the property has received mixed inspection results in recent years. A 2019 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development inspection gave the property a score of 86 out of 100 but identified exigent health and safety deficiencies in common areas. A 2023 inspection resulted in a failing score of 58. The property received a score of 97 during its 2024 inspection and is not scheduled for another federal inspection for three years.
Residents say they remain frustrated despite the recent improvements.
“It’s like the squatters have more rights than we do,” Harvey said.
The property receives both state and federal housing voucher funding. A community meeting between residents, property management and Atlanta police was scheduled for Monday evening to discuss ongoing concerns.
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