Public Hearing: YES ? NO ? Department: Board of Commissioners - District 6
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): District 3 and District 6
Approve $100.000.00 from District 6 ARP Appropriations to Support a Whitehall Forest Community Public Health and Public Safety Fund
Body
Information Contact: Commissioner Edward C. "Ted" Terry
Phone Number: 404-371-4909
PURPOSE:
To appropriate District 6 ARP funding to establish a Whitehall Forest Fund to support current and future public health and public safety initiatives implemented by Public Safety, other DeKalb County departments, and service providers that can address the myriad Whitehall Forest Condominium resident's needs.
NEED/IMPACT:
Whitehall Forest is a District 3/6 community that has a long history of struggles similar to Brannon Hills. The condominium association was once an affordable but livable option for many minorities in the 1970's and 1980's. The condos were so inexpensive that buyers were able to pay cash and avoid having to obtain mortgages. These modest dwellings were their piece of the American Dream. But over the years, as like Brannon Hills, owners say that Whitehall Forest has been led by a corrupt board. For years they collected assessments but never seemed to do any maintenance or repairs where conditions are less suited for third-world inhabitants. Squaller and uninhabitable units fester violence and crime.
Recently the county began a county-wide phased approach to demolition and cleanup efforts. Whitehall Forest complex was one of the communities to demolish vacant and fire damaged units.
DeKalb County has literally been putting out fires as they erupt, and joint efforts to increase police presence, strategies to arrest and convict violent offenders, and major cleanup efforts are some of the initiatives the County has implemented to help mitigate the crime as a public health issue, however additional funding is nee...
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