Recent events in suburban Atlanta have thrown a spotlight on the growing issue of housing insecurity, as low-income renters face displacement due to gentrification and mismanagement of properties.
In Roswell, officials have relocated numerous residents from an extended-stay motel after deeming it a public health hazard.
At the same time, in College Park, local authorities condemned several dilapidated apartments, giving tenants until June to vacate their homes.
Meanwhile, a developer in Marietta intends to replace an affordable housing complex with upscale new residences, underscoring a troubling trend affecting renters beyond major urban centers.
One such story emerges from Campus Edge, a property near Kennesaw State University’s Marietta campus, where resident Devin Lantz pays $600 a month for his one-bedroom apartment.
However, implications of a recent property sale to Campus Realty Advisors have left Lantz and around 200 other tenants anxious for their futures.
The Marietta City Council rezoned the Campus Edge property earlier this year, setting the stage for its demolition and redevelopment into high-end apartments.
Lantz, who signed a lease just last April, expressed his frustration, stating, “I have no idea what I’ll do if I can’t stay here.”
In Marietta, the average rent for a one-bedroom unit hovers close to $1,300—more than double what many Campus Edge tenants currently pay.
Shelby Stansberry, another resident and employee at the KSU dining hall, has taken it upon herself to organize the Campus Edge Tenants Association.
Her group aims to secure at least the return of security deposits following the impending lease terminations.
“This has been devastating,” she lamented, highlighting the hardships of finding new housing on short notice while managing the costs of application fees and deposits.
Stansberry and her fellow residents have been lobbying the Marietta City Council to reconsider or delay the redevelopment plans, emphasizing the lack of communication from City Hall.
In an unrelated but equally concerning situation, Barbara Masters found herself facing displacement after the Roswell City issued a notice to vacate the Economy Hotel.
Masters, a Waffle House server who depended on the motel’s $325 a week rate, was blindsided when the city deemed the facility too dangerous for occupancy due to a range of severe issues and criminal activity.
“Unless I hit the lottery or get a high-end restaurant job, I’ll be in hotels,” Masters remarked after being relocated to Decatur’s 1st Place Hotel, which costs $400 weekly.
The city’s emergency intervention was necessary, as she noted the dire circumstances she would have faced otherwise.
Across town, the Chelsea Gardens apartment complex has recently come under fire as low-income renters and housing advocates staged a rally at College Park City Hall to confront eviction threats.
In late April, city officials condemned the complex citing dangerous living conditions, including mold and pest infestations, and ordered residents to vacate by June 1.
Some residents claim that the landlord had started forcefully evicting tenants weeks prior, even going as far as cutting off their water supply to hasten the process.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation is advocating for Chelsea Gardens residents, demanding they receive due process before any formal eviction action takes place.
In a public statement, they condemned both the landlord, Pete Dedvukaj, and College Park authorities for their roles in creating a threat to tenant welfare.
“There is a complete disregard for tenant rights and safety in these actions,
image source from：https://atlantaciviccircle.org/2025/05/28/atlanta-housing-crisis-impact-in-suburbs/
