JONESBORO — Attorney Kevin Ross and R. James Properties President Kelly James recently made a presentation before the Clayton County Board of Commissioners to discuss what they described as an evictions backlog crisis.
The pair spoke to the County Commission during its Aug. 8 work session with Ross outlining four major problems that have come about because of the backlog of evictions cases in the court system.
— The backlog is creating a quality of life problem on rental properties. People who are lease violators often don’t follow rules, commit crimes, and are a nuisance to other tenants, which reduces quality of life for other tenants.
— The backlog creates what Ross said are “major operational issues.” If tenants aren’t paying rent, that means there’s less money for repairs, maintenance, and security.
— The backlog is compounding overall financial and and debt coverage issues. If not money isn’t coming in, owners can have problems making their mortgages and obligations to lenders. That can cause quality of the property to descend and degrade, Ross said.
— The backlog can also impact affordable housing, Ross said.
People who need affordable housing need vacancies they can move into. People who aren’t paying their rent take the available supply of housing off the market.
It also affects “second chance’ tenants who may have debt issues, bankruptcies or issues that owners may give a second chance.
“It’s a county-wide problem,” Ross said of the backlog of evictions.
R. James Properties has 5,400 units in the Atlanta area and 2,100 units in Clayton County.
“I don’t like evictions; no landlord likes evictions,” James said. “I don’t rent to anybody to evict them.”
James said his company has had a solid reputation for cleaning up distressed properties, some of which are in Clayton County.
“We know who…
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