The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

Local News

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. To join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address. Once you do, your comments will post automatically. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
August 15, 2010

Providence Ministries expands rehab mission

Apartments headed for foreclosure rescued

Mark Millican markmillican@daltoncitizen.com

DALTON — Michael Keener helped recycle old carpet into the padding that goes under new carpet until he was laid off several weeks ago. The lack of income has made moving out of his apartment in west Dalton — where Providence Ministries has purchased 16 apartments before they went into foreclosure — a little bit tougher.

“I’ve already got another place,” he said, adding that he’s lived in the Trammell Street Apartments around a year. “I’m paying half the rent at the new place this week, and the other half next week, and then we’re moving.”

Keener is one of several residents who are leaving the apartments so Providence can refurbish the complex for the transitional living element of its drug and alcohol abuse recovery program. Those who are not in the program but need help with “straight” living without substances will also be able to apply for the housing.

“It’s the next step of recovery,” said Roy Johnson, founder and director of Providence. “Getting a job, getting back into society, becoming a responsible citizen. Before, sometimes the people coming out of our program have not made good choices. But this will help them ‘grow away’ and not ‘go away.’ They stay plugged in with us and we stay plugged in with them.”

Johnson said the apartments were purchased for $250,000 in a “short sale” before they went into receivership, because an “absentee landlord” in California had pretty much let the units go into disrepair, as well as the mortgage. Some residents hadn’t paid their rent or utility bills in months, he said, but the ministry is not charging rent for those who are looking for new living arrangements.

“The utility company actually cut the power off, but Roy had it cut back on so they would have air conditioning and be comfortable while they’re finding another place to live,” said local attorney Robert McCurry, who does legal work for the ministry.

Johnson said he is “working with” the residents.

“We are trying to be kind, considerate and compassionate,” he said, “but we are not buying this to go into the rental market. We are not pushing these folks to get out — some are asking for two to three weeks or even a month. We are paying their utilities, and we think that’s more than fair.”

Thelina Lawson, who said she subsists on “disability and Social Security” checks, said she will be out of her apartment on Sept. 3, “the day after my birthday.”

“This place really needs some work,” she said. “When I said something to the landlord about getting some things done to my apartment — one of the things was a bad leak — he told me to do it myself. I need a new place.”

Johnson said the transitional living clients will be responsible for holding down a job and keeping the apartments clean and neat, and will have a counselor who also lives there. Much of the work is being done by the ministry’s maintenance crew, with help from clients who have skills and trades related to construction — or who were just mowing the grass on a hot Friday morning.

Repairs and remodeling have included fixing floors — some units have required new plywood flooring throughout — as well as plumbing, electrical and painting work. A small office building will be turned into classrooms and a soft recreation area.

“It’s a pretty major job, but we want it to be nice,” Johnson said. “We want everything we do to be nice and a credit to the community, and we’re being as generous and understanding as we can with the current residents.”

The ministry’s main operation is at 711 S. Hamilton St., where a feeding outreach, recycled clothing store, homeless shelter and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs are housed. It also operates recycle stores in Calhoun (where there is also a homeless shelter) and Fort Oglethorpe, and boys’ group homes in Rocky Face and Tunnel Hill.

 

Text Only
Local News