When JoAnn came into the Safe Families Office, she was exhausted from trying to co-parent with her child’s father, who often turned to violence when they disagreed about parenting or finances.

John already had serious health problems which required surgeries and nurse home visits before his issues with his home began. But the nurses refused to keep coming for home visits because of hazardous conditions at his property.

On the weekend of May 24th, AVLF’s Safe and Stable Families team attended the 36th Annual Family Law Institute. Staff Attorney Joel Correa was awarded a distinctive scholarship to attend.

We are grateful to our March 2018 volunteers.

Every day in Atlanta, landlords carry out illegal evictions. They toss their tenants out without the benefit of court filings or a hearing, often because rent is a few days late. Most of the tenants who call AVLF have no prior warning of these “self-help” evictions. They simply return home to find that their key no longer fits in the lock, and peer through their own windows to see that all of their belongings have been removed or ransacked.

AVLF co-founder John Chandler and his wife Beth Tanis draw upon their history with AVLF to underpin our first-ever annual campaign.

In Atlanta, mold infestations are common. When our subtropical summers meet a negligent landlord, fungus can flourish on the walls, causing a wide range of health problems. Standing with Our Neighbors (SWON) staff members are no strangers to this issue.

Luxury clothing line Chloe Kristyn has teamed up with AVLF to raise money for our Safe and Stable Families Project.

Listening to the stories of AVLF’s clients isn’t just about learning more about our organization. It’s about better understanding your friends, your neighbors, and your community. 

Adriana is a single mother of two. When a mold infestation devastated her apartment, the landlord just told her to keep spraying bleach on the walls – and eventually just painted over it.

Melissa fled the California fires and sought haven in Georgia. She used all the money she had to pay a security deposit and first month of rent for a new apartment while she waited for her housing choice vouchers to transfer. But the conditions were unacceptable.

Sophia had finally had enough. Her boyfriend of ten years was an aggressive alcoholic, and his verbal abuse became too much to bear.