(ATLANTA)-- Some Woodland Heights residents are living a tragedy.
Eight families at the aparment complex lost everything as a devastating fire displaced people from building D, according to a Facebook post. Woodland Heights was founded in 1970 and has 3 stories with 354 units.
The fire took place on Nov. 6.
The post was shared by the Almond and Carey Park Neighborhood Association, a Facebook group with over 70 members.
The Atlanta Fire Department is currently investigating the cause of the fire.
OpGov.ai reached out to Alan Holmes, who was listed as a contact on the flyer. Holmes serves as the Senior Advisor for District 9 Councilmember Dustin Hillis.
(Photo: Alan Holmes LinkedIn)
“Woodland Heights is an apartment complex located in our City Council District,” Holmes said. “We have been advocating on behalf of the residents since 2017, when Councilman Hillis was first elected to office.”
OpGov.ai reached out to Matthew Nursey, who is the Organizing Director for Housing Justice League. Nursey is passionate about the tragic situation that took place, sharing pre-fire concerns.
“We have been on the ground in Woodland Heights organizing the tenants for months prior to this fire,” Nursery said. “For years, even before the fire, the tenants have been dealing with mold, pests, leaks, flooding, lack of security, and much more.”
Ambling Management Company manages Woodland Heights apartments at 2500 Center St NW.
“I was saddened," Nursery said. “We don’t know what caused it yet, but my initial reaction was that this may have been a result of the electrical issues many tenants on the property have been having.”
Holmes cares about the residents in District 9 and wants to be proactive to prevent tragedies.
“We are stepping in because the property owners are not adhering to the City of Atlanta's housing code, making necessary repairs, or providing a safe and secure environment for tenants,” Holmes said.
The displaced are staying at Boyd Elementary and need assistance.
People can drop off clothing, hygiene kits, non-perishable food and water, gift cards, and furniture at Boyd Elementary School Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Boyd Elementary School was chosen because some of the children affected by the fire attend the school. The elementary school is located two miles away from Woodland Heights Apartments.
Nursery and his team aren’t working alone.
“We are working within a coalition called Neighbors Against Neglect, alongside other organizations such as CHARRS, Southern Poverty Law Center, and American Descendants of Slavery,” Nursey said.
OpGov.ai reached out to Woodland Heights apartments for comment. Woodland Heights told OpGov.ai they couldn’t comment because they are a private company.
Woodland Heights directed OpGov.ai to their attorney, Carey Miller, who was contacted by the platform.
Email sent to Woodland Heights attorney Carey Miller.
Miller has not responded to the media outlet's request for comment.
Holmes and Hillis' efforts to raise awareness of the fire have yielded positive results.
“The response has been an outpouring of support, which is wonderful,” Holmes said. “We are receiving an increasing number of calls from people who want to donate furniture, in addition to clothes, food, and non-perishable items.”
Other organizations are taking the issue of fires seriously and want to educate people about them.
Training is the first step.
“CHARRS m one of the nonprofits in the Neighbors Against Neglect coalition, held a training to continue training youth and adults,” Holmes said. “They have been trained to serve as Youth Environmental Health Ambassadors and Community Environmental Health Workers."
People can visit neighborsagainstneglect.com and reach out to volunteer for door-to-door canvassing of the units, according to Holmes.
OpGov.ai will monitor the situation as it unfolds.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns or you would like to add to the story, please feel free to email jorden.h@lead4earth.org.
Thumbnail photo: Woodland Heights Apartments (Photo: ForRent.com)
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