Last households at Forest Cove Apartments move out as city works to restore complex

ATLANTA — The last of the 200 households at the Forest Cove Apartments in Southeast Atlanta have officially moved out.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens initiated the move earlier this spring after Atlanta’s code enforcement unit conducted an investigation that found 150 violations of city code at the apartments. Officers found broken windows, open units, vacant units that were improperly boarded, damaged siding, abandoned, inoperable vehicles, severe overgrowth, burned buildings and areas of accumulated debris and trash.

On May 16, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens signed legislation allocating the first $1.5 million of a planned $9.1 million investment to support the relocation of residents.

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Under the agreement, the Forest Cove Apartments will get restored, allowing residents to return.

“This is a historic milestone for the families of Forest Cove who have been left behind for too many years,” Dickens said. “After meeting with the families at Forest Cove in my first weeks in office, I knew that even though the City wasn’t responsible for the conditions there, we had a moral obligation to act. While our work is far from over, this is an important step for these residents who now have a chance to start fresh.”

The first families moved from Forest Cove on June 3 and the last resident moved on Sept. 30. The city worked with Atlanta Public Schools throughout the relocation process to prioritize families with children to minimize disruption to the school year.

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Mayor signs bill to allow $1.5 million in aid for Forest Cove Apartment tenants

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