Atlanta Through the Archives

Forest Cove

Summary

Forest Cove is a neighborhood in Southeast Atlanta for low-income citizens. Delineated by HUD’s Section 8 Housing Voucher Program, residents of Forest Cove have rents discounted to 30% of their income, with the rest subsidized by the federal government. Built in 1967, Thomasville Heights was the original housing project in this part of Atlanta, until crime and deterioration forced the city to demolish the site in 2010 and replace it with Forest Cove.

Unfortunately, problems that ignited Thomasville Heights’ destruction have persisted since the renovations. From the beginning of 2020 to August of 2021, over 650 calls have been made to the police for “domestic violence, burglary, robbery, and homicide at the property.” Even after the private company Millennia Companies acquired the site in 2017, management has failed to fix the structural code violations, including fire damage, rodent infestations, and building holes. This is why a municipal court judge has ruled in late December 2021 that residents be relocated by March before the neighborhood’s razing on April 15th; however, Millienia has asked for multiple extensions, forcing residents to remain in substandard units.

For the 210 remaining families of Forest Cove, relocation plans have yet to be solidified by Millennia. An official timeline for neighborhood renovations is also still unclear, but Millennia has stated that the 396-unit project will cost over $50 million.

SOURCES:

Nobles, Wilburn P. Forest Cove demolition would force low-income Atlanta residents to find new housing. Atlanta Journal Constitution. https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/forest-cove-demolition-would-force-low-income-atlanta-residents-to-find-new-housing/MTXT7NXVZVFVZKOHEIVPUOTYTA/.

Keenan, Sean. “Forest Cove apartments appear bound for demolition, as tenant relocation deadline looms.” Atlanta Civic Circle. https://atlantaciviccircle.org/2022/02/09/forest-cove-apartments-appear-bound-for-demolition-as-tenant-relocation-deadline-looms/.

Keenan, Sean. “Restoration of ‘uninhabitable’ Forest Cove apartments could start in January.” Atlanta Civic Circle. https://atlantaciviccircle.org/2021/12/23/restoration-of-uninhabitable-forest-cove-apartments-could-start-in-january/.