Twenty condo owners at a 42-unit complex on Walker Street, just steps from downtown Atlanta, have filed a lawsuit accusing their homeowners association and former property management companies of allowing unsafe, “inhumane,” and unlivable conditions to persist for years.
Residents say they have been displaced from their units due to black mold, water damage, structural problems, and other hazards, yet are still required to pay their mortgages while living elsewhere.
‘A headache this entire time’
Cindy Primm was among the original residents when the development opened in 2007.
“It’s honestly been a headache this entire time,” Primm said.
“I bought this property based on a concept and a dream.”
Primm says her unit has been plagued by severe mold and recurring water issues.
“I’ve dealt with black mold, high mold counts in my unit. I’ve dealt with walls being taken down and seeing running water behind my walls. Water stains on many of the ceilings,” she said.
She hasn’t been able to live in her home for five years.
Health issues, financial strain
Another resident, Felicia Williams-Artis, says her family has been forced out of their unit for more than three years due to mold contamination.
“The black mold has caused health issues,” she said. “It has taken over our unit.”
“We’ve made an investment. We still pay a mortgage on an empty unit,” Williams-Artis added. “We have to live someplace else where there’s another mortgage. We want our unit fixed so we can move back home.”
Attorney alleges mismanagement and millions in damage
Attorney Bataski Bailey, who represents the owners, says independent engineers and experts have confirmed the property is unsafe.
“We believe there has been misuse of association funds and mismanagement of the property,” Bailey said. “That’s led to roughly $12.6 million in damage to the association right now.”
Bailey alleges the HOA board has known about issues since the building’s early years.
“The board members were prioritizing their own interests and their own properties,” he said. “Complaints from other members were either ignored or done with patchwork fixes.”
Residents calling for jury trial and restoration
Despite the problems, Bailey says the building has potential if repairs are finally made.
“We believe this place can be brought back to its glory days,” he said. “It has great bones. It’s in a great part of town.”
FOX 5 Atlanta reached out to both the current and former property management companies named in the lawsuit. As of Wednesday, neither has responded to a request for comment.
