South Fulton County

Residents say apartment owners left them living in deplorable conditions

SOUTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — People living in a southwest Atlanta apartment complex said they had to take action on their own to save their homes.

Residents at the New Village Apartments said they were living with bedbugs, mold, and rats. A former property manager said she didn't have a maintenance staff for a year. Many of the buildings are burned out, boarded up and abandoned.

The residents brought the conditions to the attention of Channel 2 Action News after seeing our story about the West Cove Apartments in College Park. Those apartments were without water for a week and residents got notices to vacate.

Both properties are owned by Pacific Holdings.

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Residents that Channel 2's Carl Willis spoke to said nothing happened when they tried to bring their concerns to the ownership.

Willis called and went to the company's regional office, but got no answer as it continues to take rent, the majority of it taxpayer money coming from Section 8.

Residents said they have to make their own repairs.

Single mother Jaynane Davis said she doesn't receive assistance, which makes things even harder.

"I'm trying to make ends meet because you're constantly fixing things that they're supposed to be fixing," she said.

The ownership group has a "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau, citing a pattern of complaints, failure to respond and not resolving complaints.

Davis said a tree fell on her unit and no repairs were made.

"It literally took a month to get another apartment. I had to stay in a shelter," she said. "It's sad. They don't care. It's just like we're here paying rent."

Residents said if nothing else, they want people to know what they're getting into before moving there.