DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A DeKalb County apartment complex littered with trash has been an ongoing issue for some nearby homeowners, according to county officials.
Residents who have lived in the area for years said trash at the Villas of Embry Hills Apartment Homes, located off of Chamblee Tucker Road, sits there for weeks without getting picked up.
11Alive spotted everything from mattresses to furniture scattered outside the dumpsters on Monday. The neighborhood that backs up to the complex was a very different scene --- filled with runners, families, and people walking their dogs. However, an unwelcoming smell lingered in the air.
One neighbor afraid to go on camera out of fear of retaliation said the trash dumping is so bad, she can't even go outside anymore.
"When you can’t even open your windows. We can’t cook out," she said. "My friends won’t come here to sit out because they can’t stand smelling it.
She said as the odor grows, so does the number of unwanted guests.
"Flies sit on you," she said. "I’ve had a rodent in the house two different times over the last few years.”
11Alive reached out to apartment management about the concerns Monday, but no one responded to our calls or emails.
DeKalb County Commissioner Robert Patrick who oversees that district said he's been aware of the issues since he took office in 2021, and has visited the property five times for trash service complaints and code compliance violations.
Read Patrick's statement below:
“I empathize deeply with the residents of The Villas at Embry Hills. Since assuming office in 2021, I've received numerous communications from residents and community leaders as well as met with the long-time property owner that has been directly affected by the inadequate sanitation service for the complex. In August of 2023 I introduced legislation to request the Department of Planning and Sustainability Staff to Explore the Feasibility of Adopting Standard Dumpster Requirements for Apartment Complexes and Multi-Family Units. Presently, I am actively collaborating with county administration to implement both short-term and long-term remedies, including establishing minimum dumpster capacity and frequency of collection for multifamily developments. Until these efforts can be reviewed and adopted by my colleagues on the Board of Commissioners, we will rely on DeKalb County Code Compliance Officers to continue to monitor the sanitation concerns. The cleanliness and safety of all residents is my utmost priority, and I am committed to ensuring that this issue is resolved without delay.”