Georgia Tenant Facing Racially Motivated Eviction—Your Support Matters
I’m a tenant in Gainesville, GA, fighting a retaliatory eviction after defending myself against an assault from another tenant. I didn’t retaliate—I installed a camera under Georgia law, called the police, and followed every legal step. The other tenant broke her lease and left. I stayed and got punished for it.
My case started in January 2025. I’ve been on appeal since May. The court continues to ignore my rights under House Bill 404, the Safe at Home Act, which took effect July 1, 2024 and replaced older statutes to protect tenants from exactly this kind of abuse. Meanwhile, I’ve been living with mold exposure—reported to the landlord in November 2024, but never remediated. The physical toll has been real: I’ve spent the past year healing from a shoulder and back injury, now dealing with neuropathy down my left side.
I spent my savings hiring an attorney—only to be misled and left without proper representation. I’ve contacted Georgia Legal Services, who refused to help. I’ve reached out to news stations and House representatives to raise awareness and clarify the intent of HB404. The Supreme Court of the United States has long held that legislation must be interpreted as written, not reimagined or selectively ignored. Yet that’s exactly what’s happening in my case.
I can’t afford to move, and current leases in this area are beyond reach. I’ve never seen anything like this in my 45 years of living. The treatment I’ve received—being pushed out, told to "just move," treated like a criminal for following the rules—feels like history repeating itself. In 1912, Forsyth County drove out its Black residents. In 1987, marchers were attacked for challenging racism. That legacy is still alive—in policy, paperwork, and silence.
I’m not asking for sympathy. I’m asking for help staying housed while I fight a system built to erase people like me. If you understand what it means to follow every rule and still be punished for showing up, this is your chance to stand with me.
Organizer
