Metro Atlanta veterans facing eviction as nonprofit scrambles to help

Metro Atlanta charity helping veterans who face eviction

A metro Atlanta nonprofit says it’s seeing an alarming rise in veterans at risk of losing their homes. Southern Crescent Veteran Services is currently working to save 13 veterans and their families from eviction at the end of this month.

ATLANTA - A metro Atlanta nonprofit says it’s seeing an alarming rise in veterans at risk of losing their homes.

What they're saying:

Southern Crescent Veteran Services is currently working to save 13 veterans and their families from eviction at the end of this month.

Nia Turner, a Marine Corps veteran who served from 2005 to 2009, is one of them.

"I served in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. So that’s Iraq and Afghanistan," she said.

Turner, a disabled veteran, supports her 17-year-old son as a single mother. She said she fell on hard times last year.

"In July of last year, I lost my job. So that's kind of where the decline started," she said. "And since that time, I haven't had another full time job. But I've always managed to work. So contract work, gig work."

Despite picking up part-time work, Turner fell several months behind on rent.

"Thank God I start a new job on the 29th of this month."

But her landlord is still demanding all the back rent — thousands of dollars — by the end of August.

"It makes it harder when you have three months, four months behind, and they want a lump sum of that money," Turner said.

Southern Crescent Veteran Services says Turner’s story is not unique. The organization is currently helping 13 veterans and their families in metro Atlanta who are facing eviction on August 29.

"Yes, all on the 29th… I've been completely swamped," said the group’s CEO, retired Army Master Sergeant Patricia Baisdon.

Another example – Howard Sterling, who served as a heavy machine operator in the Army. 

He's struggled to find work that adequately provides for him and his 13-year-old son. 

"I had to pay for his school clothes and stuff for this year. He started high school. And it's been it's been a struggle as a single parent trying to take care of having a home and keep everything afloat...I'm staying at an Extended Stay hotel right now and the job that I'm working, I'm not able to make enough money," Sterling said. 

Baisdon said some veterans lost jobs, while others were hit with unexpected medical bills, pushing them into crisis.

"Unfortunately, it doesn’t surprise me," said Cindy Borden with the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. She explained that while the overall number of homeless veterans is declining, rising housing costs are putting many on the brink.

"So when folks are at that just barely making it level, anything could be the thing that pushes them over the edge."

Baisdon said Southern Crescent is urgently seeking donations to help veterans stay in their homes. Turner, meanwhile, hopes people remember the service of those now in need.

"When you think about veterans who have served their country, just have compassion. Have compassion," she said.

What you can do:

Southern Crescent Veteran Services is collecting donations now.