Retired woman facing eviction in 10 days, hopes for solution as housing prices increase

ATLANTA — Anette Nevels only has a home for the next 10 days.

The 66-year-old southwest Atlanta woman is set to be evicted from her apartment on September 15th.

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She will mark the latest of the nearly 100,000 Atlanta area eviction filings so far in 2023, according to data from the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank.

“I need to be here,” Nevels said. “I can’t do much of anything if I’m in the street.”

Nevels says she suffers from congestive heart failure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.

“That’s my little beeper there. I have a defibrillator,” Nevels said. “And if that’s gone, then pretty much so am I. But some point, my defibrillator needs to give me a mule kick to keep me alive.”

However, to keep things like her defibrillator running, she needs a place to call home. Something she says she cannot afford at current prices.

Nevels relies on social security to live. However, the payments have not kept up with rising housing costs. She says her rent has increased by $200-$400 in recent years.

“There is no way I could pull $200 extra out of the air,” Nevels said.

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Nevels shows photos to Channel 2 Action News of a bug infestation she says has been around for months. Throughout her interview, we saw more than a half dozen bugs throughout the apartment.

Over the phone, Peaks at MLK said that Nevels decided to not pay rent, and they are planning to go through with the eviction like they would for anyone else.

“Unfortunately, that story is not uncommon,” says Hope Atlanta Chief Programs Officer Elizabeth Banks.

Hope Atlanta is dedicated to fighting homelessness. She says the increase in housing prices has far outstripped the increases people on fixed incomes have received.

“We see a lot of seniors who are on fixed incomes that cannot afford the extras. If you call food and medicine extras,” Banks said.

Banks said it is hard to know how many people on social security have lost their homes over the past few years. Many are senior citizens who can stay with family members.

Banks said to truly help those on social security, folks need to advocate for better benefits or contribute to programs that can help fill in the gap.

Nevels hopes she will find some relief and have a place to call home.

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