Desperation.
“I’m trying not to cry because it’s a lot to be here all these years and to go through this, it’s very, very stressful,” Athena Parker said as her voice quivered, and tears ran down her cheeks. “I had to send my daughter away from the weekend because I don’t want her to get sick. I would rather just deal with the heat and the stress and the mold for now, instead of her going through it.”
Parker has lived in the Darlington Apartments in Buckhead for 8 years. The single mom has a 4-year-old daughter. On Sept. 7, the pair stood outside as an alarm alerted them to yet another fire in the complex.
“There was a fire on the eleventh floor. Someone set a couch on fire up there,” said Andrew Nelson, a longtime resident of the Darlington.
While filming, we saw at least six security guards posted in and outside of the complex. It has Parker on edge.
“Do you know the fear of having a fire? Like, the fires are ridiculous,” she said.
It would be the third fire since people living there were told in early August that everyone in the building was being evicted. Investigators said they’re actively working an arson investigation. And it’s clear, someone is angry as threats are scribbled in paint on elevators throughout the complex.
“This b**** will burn,” one graffiti message reads.
The complex holds more than 600 apartments. It’s known as one of the only affordable apartment complexes in Buckhead with rents under $800 a month. Residents said the new owners want to rehab it and raise the rent which leaves many without an idea of where they’re going to go, though an organization is helping people figure out their next moves.
While dealing with fires and evictions, the people living there said the air conditioning hasn’t worked in nearly 10 days, leaving many sweltering inside their apartments in 90-degree-plus heat.
“Oh, I’m p*****. I’m p*****. I’m a hardworking man. I want to come home and have a clear head, so I can find somewhere else to live,” said Elliott Washington, who has lived there for almost 5 years. “You’re sweating and you’re in heat.”
Add the broken air conditioning to the complaint that many have with the crime and possible mold inside the complex from water left behind after the ongoing fires.
Many of the people in the Darlington live on low or fixed income. While some have already moved, there’s close to 100 residents who still live and depend on the Darlington for housing, as some are disabled or elderly.
Washington explained this heightens the fear of the recurring fires and lack of AC.
“They couldn’t get out of their apartment because they’re handicapped,” he said.
A tenant meeting was held on Saturday so people could discuss their plans moving forward. Darlington residents must be out of the building by Oct. 17 as the water will be cut off. Of course, people living there hope they can make it until then.
“We need help. We need help,” said Washington. “It’s a nightmare and it’s crazy, they’re trying to force us out.”
The building owners haven’t responded to requests for comments so far. No arrests have been made in the arson investigation and at the time this report has been published, the air is still out in the complex.
