Elderly put at risk after Dekalb County houses homeless in the same building
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. (CBS46) -- Doraville Mayor Joseph Geierman is upset with the county’s decision to shelter-in-place nearly 40 homeless individuals at the Clarion Hotel, which is in the building as the Silverleaf Senior Living facility
“I don’t think a lot of thought was put into the placement of where they were going to go," said Mayor Geierman. "Because these two populations are literally being put in the same building and being asked to share the same elevator, the same laundry room.”
For the last two Thursday's DeKalb Community Development has taken homeless people in buses to hotels where they will stay for up to 30 days to help curb the coronavirus pandemic.
The first hotel chosen was the Clarion.
“You’ve got one population that is at extreme high risk of death if they happen to get sick, and then you’ve got another population who is much more mobile, going out and not practicing social distancing,” said Mayor Geierman.
Charities that are working with the county on transporting the homeless to the hotels said many hotels in the county have put their hand-up to house them as a result of the downturn in business caused by the coronavirus.
CBS46 reporter Jamie Kennedy spoke with a homeless individual who said that homeless people staying at the hotel regularly crowd in the mornings, when others who are not staying there come to try and get a bed.
He also said not all were screened for the virus when they were transported and that drinking is prevalent in the hotel along with access to senior living areas.
The mayor has made repeated attempts to speak with the county for a week. He expressed that the elderly staying at Silverleaf have said they were not made aware of their new roommates and that they are frightened by the situation.
“I’m still waiting to have a call,” said Mayor Geierman.
Jamie also spoke with DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester who agrees with the mayor and is appalled by the decision.
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