Key Takeaways

  • DeKalb County plans to demolish an abandoned property in Decatur on September 12 as part of its fight against neighborhood blight and eyesores.
  • Since 2019, DeKalb has tackled 438 blighted properties, aided by a comprehensive survey of property conditions completed in September 2020.
  • The county’s cleanup efforts also include inspections of commercial areas and regulatory compliance for hotels and motels.
  • The Demolition and Abatement Task Force, formed in 2017, coordinates efforts across seven county departments to address problem properties.

DeKalb County is continuing its fight against neighborhood blight with the scheduled demolition of an abandoned property in Decatur this week that many residents consider an eyesore.

County officials will tear down a building at 2624 Old Wesley Chapel Road on Friday, September 12, at 10 a.m. CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Community Development Director Allen Mitchell will be on site to oversee the demolition.

Fighting Blight

The upcoming demolition adds to an impressive track record. Since 2019, DeKalb has demolished or cleaned up 438 blighted properties across the county.

What makes this effort different is that officials now have a complete picture of the problem. In September 2020, the county finished its first-ever comprehensive survey of property conditions in unincorporated areas.

For the first time, the county can identify all properties subject to abatement or demolition in unincorporated areas of DeKalb.

Beyond Houses

The county’s cleanup efforts extend to commercial areas too. Officials have created a five-year plan to inspect business corridors throughout unincorporated DeKalb.

They’re also keeping hotels and motels in check with regulatory compliance inspections to ensure these properties meet safety standards.

How They Decide

Behind these efforts is the Demolition and Abatement Task Force, created in January 2017. The group brings together seven county departments:

  • Law
  • Planning and Sustainability
  • Community Development
  • Keep DeKalb Beautiful
  • Code Compliance
  • Sanitation
  • GIS

These departments meet regularly to coordinate enforcement and share information about problem properties.

B.T. Clark
Publisher at 

B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.