Residents urge Cobb County to prepare for displacement-driven homelessness and stronger housing code enforcement
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Summary
Multiple residents used the public-comment period to urge county action on homelessness after Atlanta cleanups, demand enforcement of livable-housing standards and raise local environmental concerns tied to Braves game travel. The board did not take formal action during public comment.
Several residents at the July 8 Cobb County Board of Commissioners meeting used the public-comment period to press the county on homelessness and housing conditions, warning of displacement from Atlanta cleanups and calling for stronger enforcement of livable-housing standards.
Denny Wilson, who identified himself as "District 4," told commissioners he watched television coverage of an Atlanta cleanup and predicted people displaced there "are gonna come here to Cobb County" and likely concentrate first in Mableton before moving to other parts of the county. "They're gonna come here, and there is no other way to get around this," Wilson said. He urged the county to prepare and to develop solutions.
Donald Barth urged the county to focus on "livable housing" rather than only "affordable housing," and challenged county officials to enforce codes and hold property owners accountable for blight. "I want livable housing in all of Cobb County," Barth said, adding that some rental properties he has seen are not fit for occupancy and that stronger enforcement -- including blight measures -- is needed.
Other public speakers raised related local concerns: JT Jackson asked the county to press the Atlanta Braves organization to restore bike accommodations and reduce trash that he said is ending up in Rottenwood Creek and ultimately the Chattahoochee River. No formal board action was taken during the public-comment period; one county staff member (the HR manager) was asked to follow up with a commenter on a personnel/pay matter.
Why it matters: public-comment speakers requested county leadership and code enforcement steps to address housing quality and potential increases in homelessness tied to activity in neighboring Atlanta. Commissioners did not adopt policy during public comment; the remarks were recorded as citizen input for the public record.
Follow-up: the transcript does not show a board directive or staff report scheduled in response to these comments during this meeting.