Residents upset over unfinished neighborhood

COLLEGE PARK, Ga.,None — Dozens of College Park homeowners said they've been abandoned by their builders. In addition, they say they have to pay a homeowner's association for services they're not getting.

Yuma Mallard told Channel 2 Action News that she was promised a subdivision with 200 homes and amenities including a swimming pool and field for children to play.

Instead she said the River's Station subdivision is becoming blighted and unsafe.

"Construction has stopped, no homes are selling, and as you can see there are units that didn't even get completed, and it's an eyesore," Mallard said.

The neighborhood off of state Route 314 in the Collage Park portion of Clayton County is littered with overgrown lots.

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Trash is collecting where new homes were supposed to be built, and the subdivision is barely three years old.

At the entrance, the swimming pool at the community clubhouse is filled with green water and chained up.

"It's just frustrating because we've tried to come together as a community. We've tried to do things on our own, and it's like who is speaking for the little people?" Mallard said.

Neighbors said the developer, Atreus Home Builders, lost the property when the housing market collapsed.

Shortly after, she said the homeowner's association stopped servicing the properties, but they kept on collecting the fees.

"They're still accepting our assessments, and we haven't been able to swim in our pool in over three years," said homeowner Melvin Coltrane.

The fees are about $500 a year. Due to the lack of service, some homeowners have stopped paying.

"We've been told not enough owners are paying so they can't pay to (maintain) the pool."

Channel 2's Carl Willis called the number for Atreus Home Builders listed with the Better Business Bureau, but it just rang out.

He also called homeowner's association, and it referred him to their attorneys, who were unavailable.

Mallard wasn't surprised.

She said all parties need to talk if this growing problem is ever going to get better.

"The first step is to have some kind of communication with us," Mallard said. "Not to ignore, because that is what's happening."

WSBTV