About a dozen Magnolia Crossing Apartment residents and sympathizers expressed their dismay Tuesday to the Cobb County commissioners concerning their mandated move by Jan. 1.
Even a child, who said her birthday is six days before Christmas, appealed to them, “I am afraid of becoming homeless.”
Though the commissioners did not vote specifically on this closing, they did vote 3-2 in July to support the issuance of $10 million in bonds by the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority to redevelop the Six Flags area with strong support from Cobb District 4 Commissioner Lisa Cupid.
Opposed were Commissioners JoAnn Birrell and Bob Ott.
Supporting the apartment closing at 490 Six Flags Drive in her district, Cupid said the commissioners cannot help the residents since the board of commissioners agreed to allow the authority to handle redevelopment projects in the Six Flags area.
“Overall, the purchase of Magnolia Crossing is a strong step in the revitalization of the Six Flags corridor as was dreamed, desired and planned with residents as far back as 2004. It will result in removing a property that has one-third of crime associated in the Six Flags area and significant code enforcement and structural concerns,” Cupid said in a Monday county email.
The authority paid $3.7 million in October for Magnolia Crossing with plans to demolish it to make way for upgraded development.
The Marietta Housing Authority is under contract to manage the property and oversee the demolition.
Both governmental authorities will help residents as they transition to new housing, said Dana Johnson, director of the Cobb County Community Development Agency.
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