DeKalb County

Trash, roaches and more: DeKalb County home being called a ‘landfill’

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — One home in the East Lake neighborhood of DeKalb County is causing a laundry list of problems for those living in the homes around it.

From the smell, to the trash pileup, to roaches and rats, residents tell Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln that they want something done about the house they describe as a landfill.

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A pile of trash and debris has engulfed a home on Pennington Place and residents have been begging the county to do something about it for weeks.

“And it stinks,” said neighbor Audra Marshall.

For weeks, they say things have gotten worse, and now trash has started spilling over into the street and a chandelier hangs from a tree.

“You can’t even enjoy your own property,” said Horace Williams, who lives right next door to the problem property.

Williams also says the property has started a roach and rat problem across the community.

”I can’t say how much money I’ve spent so far trying to get rid of the roaches,” he said.

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Marshall and fellow neighbor Geraldine Huff say the problem got worse when the former tenants were evicted earlier this month. Since then, they’ve seen other people contributing to the problem by tossing their trash onto the growing pile.

Lincoln knocked on the door of the home, but no one answered.

DeKalb County records show the property is owned by a Decatur couple, so Lincoln went to their home.

The man who answered the door asked if Lincoln wanted to purchase the Pennington Place property. When she told him she worked for Channel 2 Action News, he backtracked and denied knowing anything about the property.

“It’s not mine,” the man said.

“So you’re saying it’s not yours?,” Lincoln responded.

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East Lake residents say DeKalb County Code Enforcement has the Pennington Place property on their list to address, but haven’t taken any action due to staffing shortages from the pandemic.

According to county ordinances, the property is violating at least eight ordinances relating to having homeowners properly maintain their properties.

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