CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — A locally-owned motel was condemned due to "life safety violations" in Cartersville, forcing all guests to vacate within 48 hours, according to the city on Friday.
The city made its decision on Crown Inn, which sits at North Tennessee Street in Cartersville, following an inspection that revealed alarming shortcomings within the property that prompted authorities to intervene.
Dozens of the motel residents are now scrambling to find another place to live. Guests were notified of the situation and given a 48-hour window to arrange alternative accommodations. The city said that as of Friday, everyone had left.
Rupesh Shah, the manager, added that the 20 families who lived here had very little notice.
Shah said they are making repairs right now, like removing microwaves, updating bathrooms, painting, and fixing the smoke detectors. He hopes to be open again soon.
Cartersville officials did not provide any specifics about the motel's condition. Read the full statement from the city below.
Ensuring the safety and well-being of our community members is our top priority. With this commitment in mind, we address the recent situation concerning the Crown Inn located at 1214 N Tennessee Street. Following an inspection conducted by code enforcement, this property has been condemned due to identified life safety violations. As a result, guests staying at the property were promptly informed and given 48 hours to secure alternative accommodations.
We are grateful for the cooperation of all guests and owners during this process. Yesterday, our Senior Code Enforcement Officer, alongside the fire department, confirmed that all guests had vacated the property without incident.
Code Enforcement has an active court case regarding this property and will follow court directives.
We appreciate the swift response and cooperation of all involved parties.
There will be a hearing on March 18. The city attorney said a judge will decide if any fines are owed by the owners and if the motel can open again.
For now, The Good Neighbor Homeless Shelter is two miles from the motel. If they fill up, there are other shelters that can help as well. Here's a link to a directory.