Condos where 2 died in fire dubbed ‘worst neighborhood in America’ in report

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A troubled DeKalb County condominium complex is back in the spotlight this week after two people were found dead inside a burned-out unit of the home.

Firefighters found the remains of two people after reports of a fire at the Brannon Hill apartments Wednesday morning.

Police said they are investigating the victims’ deaths as a possible homicide. The victims have yet to be identified.

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Channel 2′s Richard Elliot was at the complex Wednesday, where Channel 2 Action News has covered numerous murders and county-sponsored demolitions.

In February, someone shot a pregnant woman to death. On Mother’s Day in 2022, someone shot six people at the complex, killing three.

Dekalb County has been able to come in and demolish a lot of the vacant and decrepit buildings at the complex, but it is still private property.

Brannon Hill was built in the 1980s and used as a home for Somali refugees, but it has since fallen into disrepair due to reported mismanagement.

Elliot obtained a document from DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry’s office, as he appropriated $100,000 to support a Brannon Hill public health and safety fund.

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The document reveals that the complex has been dubbed the “worst neighborhood in America.”

“Squalor and uninhabitable units fester violence and crime,” the documents read.

The county demolished four abandoned buildings and removed 1,700 tons of trash. But issues remain, and the county appears hampered because Brannon Hill remains on private property with numerous landlords.

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In a statement, Terry said:

“The underlying issue here is that the CEO has refused to address the issues at Brannon in a holistic manner. The blight task force is only concerned with tearing down derelict buildings.”

Elliot talked to one resident, Bella, who did not want to show her face, about the ongoing problems at the complex.

“We see these things every day,” Bell said. “We know things every day. We hear things every day. And you know, no one really tries to help this community as much.”

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