Westlake Matters

On September 28, 2016, national weather broadcast systems began to inform the southern states, such as Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina of Hurricane Matthew as all three states stood the path of this category 4 tropical storm. These states were warned of the tropical storm's strength and destruction as it was the cause of more than 800 fatalities in Haiti. A few days following this broadcast, Savannah, Georgia was impacted severely as the floodwater rose and subsided several areas of the city. Specifically, Westlake Apartment homes, which houses over 100 units that receive housing assistance. These homes had an infestation of mold and mildew had manifested. Their losses were devastating. Some Westlake residents literally lost everything as they piled drenched bedding, mattresses, rugs, electronics, and couches in and around dumpsters and beside their apartment doors.

Put mildly, these apartments are unlivable and could even be considered a breach of federal contract with the landlord, or worse, a federal crime. Usually, residents of subsidized housing can’t afford renter’s insurance. The residents need to be relocated to housing with livable conditions.