Renters say they're being kicked out of homes

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Dozens of residents are being evicted from their apartments because the nonprofit they turned to for help never paid the rent.
 
Channel 2 Action News also confirmed more than 40 employees who worked at Quilt Transitional Services, a DeKalb County charity, never received payment for weeks worth of work.
 
The nonprofit's owner, Janice Cooks, told Channel 2's Rachel Stockman that the trouble started earlier this year when the state audited her organization and discovered potential fraudulent activity.
 
She says Medicaid cut payments off until she could reconcile the bills, which she has been unable to do.
 
"The contractors are responsible," Cooks said. 
 
She says she's asked them to re-submit paperwork.
 
"I was not responsible. I did not commit the fraud," Cooks said.
 
"That's my biggest concern becoming homeless again," said Denise Parker, who lives at an apartment complex in Stone Mountain, which is provided to her through Quilt Transitional Services.
 
Parker says she paid Quilt Transitional Services $500 every month, mostly on time, for rent at her unit.
 
The program helps former homeless woman, single mothers and people with mental disabilities get back on their feet.
 
Tenants provided Stockman with money order receipts for some of the rent payments.
 
The nonprofit is supposed to pay the complex where she is living at in return. Last week, an eviction notice was posted on Parker's door.
 
A manager with Mountain Vista says they moved to evict the 11 "Quilt Transitional Services" Units after the non-profit failed to pay the rent.
 
Another apartment complex in Southwest Atlanta that houses mostly single mothers and children says they are also being forced to evict 21 units after nonpayment by Quilt.
 
"My Medicaid funding had stopped so it was impossible to keep that going," said Cooks
 
Cooks say she is looking to help place the residents who have been evicted.
 
"I cried for days because these are the women. This is my passion," Cooks said.
"I feel bad for the clients at the end of the day they are the ones getting it the worst," said LeQuandra Hale-Banks, a former employee.
 
She is among the 40 or more who have not received payment for services rendered in February/March.
 
"I didn't go to school to do this for free," Banks said.
 
Banks also said she was instructed to fill out forms saying that she had seen patients on days in which she did not.
 
"She (Cooks) says she was helping them but I don't think that's what is happening," Banks said.
 
"I don't know what happened but I know something terrible happened that caused this. I'm not the victim but I am a victim because it's my company, so yeah I got to take the hit for it," Cooks said.
 
No criminal charges have been filed.

WSBTV