FOREST PARK, Ga. — In less than 30 days, Atlanta State Farmers Market vendors could face eviction if they don’t get rid of the trailers used to sell their merchandise. The market said that will help reduce the uptick in crime in the area.
Vendors, like Erica Hernandez, said they have been using trailers for more than a decade, but the issues with crime started recently.
"Thirty days is not doable," she said. "I don't know where all these things are going to fit. We've been looking for over a year, 30 days? I really honestly don't know what we're going to do if we have to do that."
Hernandez has four trailers, where she keeps about 70% of her merchandise. She is now trying to figure out how to condense it all into a shed.
"We store merchandise here but other vendors here have produce and they have the refrigerated trailers," she said. "They need it or their stuff is going to spoil."
She said vendors received a letter from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which oversees the market, outlining that licensees may not display or sell products beyond their stall, or in 30 days they could lose their license to do business there.
Hernandez said they’ve had trailers for 12 years, but crime - specifically thefts - have started becoming an issue in the last year.
Hernandez added that she even pays the market directly for each of her trailers.
"They used to not charge us for the trailers then at one point they started charging - which is fine, we’re taking up space, I get it, we’ll pay for it, we have been paying for it," she said. "So blindsiding us with now you have to get rid of everything that’s not within our shed? That’s just not feasible."
In a statement, the Georgia Department of Agriculture said:
Non-Compliance with lease agreements and State Farmer’s Market Rules at the Atlanta State Farmer’s Market has a significant negative impact on public safety and creates an unsafe operating environment. As we work together to improve public safety on the Market, Tenants and Licensees are expected to abide by the terms of their agreements or risk enforcement action.
The department added that it is giving licensees 29 more days than required. Before they can be evicted, the department said they will have a chance to attend a hearing and enter a consent agreement to continue operations in the market.
"We can work on a lot of these issues but completely butchering every vendor's business is not the answer," Hernandez said. "Basically eliminating the entire market? That can’t be the entire solution. You’re ruining business.”
The department has organized a meeting with tenants, which will take place Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, Hernandez said several vendors have gotten together to try and vocalize their concerns.