An emergency meeting will be held in south DeKalb County on Tuesday night because homeowners want state officials to crack down on short-term rentals and illegal personal care homes.

One homeowner told Channel 2′s Audrey Washington that she fears the rentals will bring down home values. Sandy Johnson said on any given weekend, you can find several cars parked up and down her street because of house parties at some of the short-term rentals.

Now she wants state officials to step in and fix the problem.

“You have the communities that we live in that we want to protect and preserve in a manner in which we purchased them,” Johnson said.

She plans to be at the emergency meeting to address issues in the area, particularly in the Wyndham Park community.

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Johnson told Washington that she’s noticed more short-term rentals and personal care homes pop up in the community lately. She wants them gone.

“One of the ordinances that DeKalb County has is that you cannot park on the grass. So we have a household in a very well-maintained, manicured community where all (of a) sudden, they rip out the front yard and put down gravel. So, no grass, just gravel to expand their ability to park,” Johnson said.

“With the short-term rentals, it involves them becoming like party houses,” said Rep. Viola Davis, D-Stone Mountain.

Davis will head Tuesday night’s town hall meeting.

“My main objective tonight is to hear the concerns of the homeowners,” Davis said.

Washington asked Davis what can be done. She said first there needs to be a balance of property rights for everyone involved.

“In the end, we have to define what is going to be a single-family residential home,” Davis said. “Investors have a right to make a profit on their investment. However, homeowners sign a warranty deed that gives them the right to quiet enjoyment of their property.”

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. You can watch it here.

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