Kicked out: Cobb County families say they are not wanted
ATLANTA (CBS46) — Tenants say they are being kicked out of their apartments — not because they aren't paying rent — but instead, how they pay rent. A CBS46 investigation found "source of income discrimination" is widespread, just as the metro's housing market explodes.
"Poor people are being pushed out of Cobb."
That's how Susan Mealer describes the past year facing housing insecurity. Everything Mealer loved had to be packed into the boxes which sat behind her, including her late husband.
"Basically, if you have the section 8 voucher, 'we don't want it,'" she recalled.
CBS46 obtained a copy of the letter which was a 60 day notice to leave. The grandmother says she regularly paid roughly $700 rent. And the letter suggests she didn't get the boot because of a lack of payment, instead because of the type of payment.
Ultimately, Mealer faced homelessness — shuffling from hotels and friends' homes.
"It really does feel illegal because too many people are going through this that are losing their home. If you don't have a place to stay, then you're losing your job, your car. Some people are even losing their mind."
The landlord, according to the letter, no longer wants section 8 tenants. It reads in part, "we are not participating in the renewal of any MHA lease," also know as Marietta Housing
