MACON, Ga. — Some tenants at Green Meadows Townhomes in west Macon are preparing to move out after management told them their leases won't be renewed.
Green Meadows went under court-appointed receivership in August after Macon-Bibb County sued the complex over crime problems. The receivership process is supposed to help Green Meadows management fix the place up and make it better for tenants, but two women who got non-renewal notices say it's not getting better; and, they say they feel targeted.
"Very stressful, to not know if you're going to get put out today or tomorrow or whatever the case may be," Lawonda Reid said about the situation.
"I'm stressed and depressed about trying to find somewhere to go," Ashuntae Meadows said.
Both women are in the same situation. They are both are running out of time to find new homes for their families.
"The only thing I can think of to do right now is remove all my furniture, pretty much give it away or whatever, and stay with a family member until I find somewhere," Meadows said.
Meadows and her 9-year-old daughter need to leave by Dec. 31. Reid and her children must be out by Feb. 28. Both say nobody told them why the complex isn't renewing their leases.
"It's stressful. That's all it is. I've got two kids. I'm trying to strategize," Reid said.
Macon NAACP President Gwenette Westbrooks says she's heard of about 20 people with the same problem.
So, she's hosting a meeting Thursday at 5 p.m. at New Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church for all Green Meadows tenants affected. Meadows and Reid both plan to attend, hoping for anything to keep them in their own spaces longer.
"Even though your family member might let you stay with them, they have their own family too," Meadows said.
Michael Lambros, the attorney for the receiver, told 13WMAZ by email that under HUD regulations, a landlord must give at least a 60-day notice before the end of the lease if they're planning not to renew a tenant. He added all non-renewal notices at Green Meadows under the receivership were given with cause, but declined to say what the causes were.
He also wrote tenants can appeal the non-renewals, but none of them have been successful yet.
You can read the full statement here:
"There has been questions regarding the non-renewals of certain tenant leases. There have been complaints by some tenants to local government about the taking of this action. Under HUD regulations the Landlord is required to give sixty (60) day notice of non-renewal of the lease. Any tenant that has received a non-renewal at Green Meadows under the receivership was done so for cause in an attempt to abate certain issues. I do not believe it is appropriate to disclose the particular reasons as to each tenant in this email.
If the tenant believes the non-renewal is improper then the tenant recourse is to file a complaint with HUD’s third-party administrator which, in this case, is National Housing Compliance (“NHC”). NHC will investigates such complaints. All such complaints received from NHC related to the non-renewals under the receivership have been concluded in favor of the property and against the tenant."