STONE MOUTAIN, Ga. — A DeKalb mother who never missed a rent payment says she was evicted from her home.
Channel 2 Action News reporter Ashli Lincoln spoke with the mother exclusively in DeKalb County.
Chanel Wright says she was surprised and terrified when DeKalb County law enforcement told her, and her family, including her, paralyzed daughter and elderly grandmother, that they had one hour to collect their belongings and get out of the property.
“It was a scene; it was very embarrassing also,” said Wright.
DeKalb County deputies were following a judge’s order after the home was sold at an auction for failure to pay property taxes.
“I was completely shocked,” Wright said.
Wright says she’s lived in the home since 2018 and has always paid her rent on time.
DeKalb County Tax Assessor’s records list the owner as Randall Duncan. Records show Duncan was behind on taxes going back to 2016. A 2022 document reveals Duncan was behind more than $6,000 in back taxes.
The county sent Duncan at least four notices warning him to pay the taxes, or the home will be subjected to a tax sale.
Wright says she was never warned by her landlord that the home would be going up for auction.
“If we had warnings, we would have done something in advance,” Wright said.
Apartments advocates say when renting directly from an independent landlord, tenants should check with the city or county’s tax assessor’s office. Each city or county has a corresponding website. Renters need to search the “property look up” option to find the tax information for the rental property.
“It’s unfortunate that I had a dishonest landlord,” Wright said.
Wright says she’s caring for her daughter who’s paralyzed from a car accident and her 85-year-old grandmother. She says because she had to vacate the house immediately, she was forced to leave behind critical medical equipment.
“My daughter’s hospital bed, grandmother’s oxygen tank,” she said.
Concerned neighbors decided to start a GoFundMe account to help Wright get back on her feet.
“The eviction wasn’t even her fault, I just want her to get the help that she needs,” said Michelle Yates.
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