ATLANTA — Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes has seen Old Wheat Street this clean before, when the city cleared the homeless camp, but the tents eventually came back.
This time is different. Dozens of people experiencing homelessness were taken to new housing on Thursday.
A comparison side by side - of what the street looked like this morning compared to now shows a complete transformation.
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“I’ve always been on site since 2010, and this is the first time that there has ever been 100% willing participation to relocate,” said Nolan English, an activist with the Justice for Cornelius Taylor Coalition.
The coalition formed about six months ago when a city work crew killed Taylor while clearing the homeless camp.
After the city cleared Old Wheat Street Thursday, the coalition said they have hope for the homeless this time because city leaders did what they promised.
They helped make sure everyone had somewhere to go.
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“We know that until we adopt a real solution to housing that this is going to continue to explode,” activist Allison Johnson said.
Fernandes saw more than 30 people load up on a bus, heading to a brighter future.
Channel 2 Action News tracked down where everyone went.
The city put 20 people in “Welcome Housing,” a transitional shelter they can stay in until they find permanent housing.
The coalition put four people in Veterans Affairs housing. They put eight people in temporary suites until they have proper ID to get into permanent housing.
And the coalition put a family with children in a hotel temporarily until their new apartment is ready.
“We don’t have any intentions of leaving anyone behind,” Johnson said.
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