Mableton Finally Cracks Down on Slumlords After Years of Inhumane Living Conditions for Residents

For too long, Mableton renters have been forced to live in conditions unworthy of any human being: apartments swarming with rats, cockroaches, and raccoons, walls and ceilings blackened with toxic mold, leaky pipes flooding floors, and electricity so unsafe it could spark a fire at any moment. On Sept. 10, 2025, the Mableton City Council finally acted, passing the Safe and Healthy Housing Ordinance, a sweeping law that defines what it truly means for a home to be “fit for human habitation” and gives the city the power to enforce it.

For many residents and members of the Mableton community, the vote was long overdue. “We talk about how people of color, we want better for our society — that starts with where they live,” renter Bahiyah Graham told the council before the vote. Graham, who is raising an autistic child, described the torment of living with mold, rats, roaches, and even raccoons inside her rental unit. “We have children, one is my child — autistic, living in mold, rats, roaches, the list can go on and on,” she said. “Everybody wants to say, ‘Why haven’t y’all moved?’ You guys know darn well the cost of living is beyond a tragedy.”

Closing a Dangerous Loophole in State Law

Georgia lawmakers passed the Safe at Home Act of 2024, which requires landlords to provide habitable housing. But because the law never spelled out what “habitable” means, many tenants were left unprotected by the people who were supposed to protect them, even after calling code enforcement, filing complaints, or dragging their landlords into small claims court.

“The lack of clear definitions created a huge gap between the law on paper and what renters could actually enforce,” said Margaret Kinnear, an attorney with Atlanta Legal Aid. “Families were stuck living in unsafe homes because the law gave them no clear standards to point to.”

Mableton’s new ordinance explicitly bans visible mold, infestations, unsafe utilities, and structural hazards. It also establishes remediation requirements in line with EPA and HUD guidelines, creating the first clear, enforceable standards for rental housing in Cobb County. The ordinance goes further by granting Mableton expanded enforcement powers to:

• Cite landlords for violations and order corrective action.
• Conduct emergency remediation if hazards pose an immediate risk.
• Place liens on properties to recover costs if landlords refuse to comply.

A Victory — But More Work Ahead

The ordinance’s passage marks a milestone, as residents have long complained of being trapped between predatory landlords and unaffordable housing options.

Renter Graham know the fight doesn’t end here. “This is about more than fixing broken pipes or scrubbing out mold,” she said. “It’s about dignity. It’s about kids being able to breathe in their own homes. It’s about families not having to choose between unsafe housing or homelessness.”

Community Vigilance

Even with the ordinance in place, the community remains vigilant. Residents and local advocates, including Monica DeLancy of the We Thrive on Riverside Drive Renters Association, say they will continue monitoring living conditions and any changes landlords make to ensure a better quality of life for families. DeLancy and her organization have been at the forefront of this fight, holding elected officials accountable at the local, state, and federal levels, refusing to accept “no” from leaders who claimed there was nothing they could do. “Passing the law was just the first step,” said a housing advocate. “Now we must make sure that it is enforced, and that families can finally live in homes that are safe, healthy, and dignified.”

The message from the Mableton community is clear: renters’ safety and health are non-negotiable and no one should be forced to live in these conditions.

The Fight Continues

Even with the ordinance in place, residents and advocates are keeping a watchful eye. Monica DeLancy, with the We Thrive on Riverside Drive Renters Association, said her organization will continue to monitor living conditions and any changes landlords make to ensure a better quality of life for families. DeLancy and her team have been at the forefront of keeping this issue before elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels, refusing to accept “no” from those who claimed nothing could be done. “Passing the law was just the first step,” DeLancy said. “Now we must make sure that it is enforced, and that families can finally live in homes that are safe, healthy, and dignified.”

Residents who endured unsafe housing for years, along with members of the Mableton community, continue to demand accountability from the city leaders who delayed action on these critical issues. While the ordinance marks progress, the fight for safe, humane housing and genuine enforcement continues.