Residents of embattled apartments ordered to move

Residents of the notorious Sierra Ridge Apartments in Northwest Atlanta started to panic Friday after dozens received a notice on their door: they must move out in 30 days. 

The mandate comes after the April 23 order by a judge with Atlanta Municipal Court to tear down the complex in 90 days. 

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"Thirty days? It's just unimaginable... my nephew is a double amputee. I can't move in 30 days," said Penelope Willingham, who is 60 years old and tells FOX 5 News, neither she nor her family have the strength or funds to move. 

Residents said they do not understand why they have to move out so quickly with the 90-day demolition order. 

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Requests for comment from the property's attorney were not returned to FOX 5. The property in court records is owned by Addison Hasid VI, LLC. 

The City of Atlanta tells FOX 5 it promised to help residents needing assistance. Thursday, city workers stopped by the property to contact and survey the number of residents who need help, and officials said the city can provide resources such as emergency shelter and housing with the Atlanta Housing Authority. 

City officials called the court order for demolition a victory in the fight against crime. 

In court records, officials with City Hall and Atlanta Police referred to the 28 apartment buildings off Delmar Lane NW as "unfit for human habitation" and a "haven for excessive criminal activity." Police said in court documents, from December 2016 to July 2017, 424 code violations resulted in 270 citations for issues related to building structures, trash, and fire hazards.

In a span of 936 days, police said people filed 238 incident reports related to criminal activity, which on average would result in four police reports per unit; police responded to the apartments for matters generally three times a day.