DeKalb officials, nonprofits and volunteers credited for life‑saving response after Dec. 22 Hillcrest fire; residents press city to enforce housing codes

Mayor Leah Barnes and council members on Monday recognized emergency responders, nonprofit partners and local volunteers for helping residents displaced by a Dec. 22 fire at the Hillcrest apartments — known to some tenants as “Tri Frat” — and heard residents ask the city to pursue enforcement or ownership changes to address long‑running code and habitability concerns.

The city’s top elected official opened the presentations by describing the scene and praising the DeKalb Fire Department for getting all residents out safely. “Buildings are buildings. They can be replaced. People can’t,” Mayor Leah Barnes said, calling the fire department’s life‑safety work “one of the most orderly productions I’ve seen.”

Why it matters: Residents said the fire worsened preexisting problems at the property and asked the council to use every tool available to ensure tenants’ safety and habitability going forward. City staff and council members said conversations are underway about…