MABLETON, Ga. — The Mableton City Council unanimously passed the Safe and Healthy Housing Ordinance on Wednesday night, aiming to protect residents from unsafe and deteriorating living conditions.
The ordinance, championed by Mayor Michael Owens, was approved with a 7-0 vote and provides the city with new tools to hold negligent landlords accountable. It mandates that all rental properties must be free from mold, infestation, structural hazards, and unsafe utilities.
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“Tonight, we are setting a new standard in Mableton,” Owens said Mayor Owens. “No child, no family, should be forced to live in moldy, infested, or unsafe housing.”
The ordinance includes legally enforceable housing standards, requiring all rental units to be free from mold, infestation, structural hazards and unsafe utilities. It also provides clear definitions of visible mold and mandates remediation based on EPA and HUD guidelines.
The city, incorporated two years ago, now has expanded enforcement authority, allowing it to cite violations, order corrective action and conduct emergency remediation if necessary. The ordinance also allows the city to place liens on noncompliant properties.
Initial enforcement efforts will target high-complaint properties along Riverside Parkway, including Silver Creek Crossing, 575 Apartments and The Residence at Riverside, where Channel 2 Action News has reported that residents have dealt with poor living conditions, including raccoons in the ceiling, mold, rodents and other problems.
“The Safe and Healthy Housing Ordinance was designed to be fair to everyone. For landlords who provide decent, habitable housing, nothing changes. The ordinance ensures that tenants have protections from unsafe conditions and from retaliation when they report problems,” Owens said. “At the same time, it makes clear that tenants have responsibilities too — under the ordinance they must not damage or neglect a property, and under their lease agreements and state law, they have the explicit obligation of paying rent.”
The Safe and Healthy Housing Ordinance aims to ensure that all rental units in Mableton meet minimum safety, health, and sanitation standards, providing tenants with protections from unsafe conditions and retaliation when reporting problems.
Residents who have issues with their housing are invited to register their concerns with the mayor.
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