This petition is for City of South Fulton residents who live in/or near the community impacted. 

Our neighborhood's character is at risk with this group home permit! I started a petition to stop the special use permit that would convert a single-family home into a group facility for pregnant teens with 24-hour rotating staff in our quiet Pinetree Community. Sign and join us at the City Council meeting December 9th! (5440 Fulton Industrial Blvd., South Fulton, GA 30336)

Are you aware of the uptick in the conversion of single-family residences in our home being converter to group homes/rooming houses; some done without special permit use? Recently, significant upheavals threaten this balance impacting what was once our quiet residential neighborhood. We cannot continue to sit idly by and watch this shift in our community. Other surrounding communities have successfully stood up against group homes/rooming houses in their neighborhoods, while parties continue to purchase homes in our community to convert them to rooming houses or group homes. We have a new property owner, a resident of the Cascade Area in Atlanta who purchased a single-family residence (SFR) in our South Fulton community to transform it into a group home for 6-9 pregnant teens. The property owner stated at the neighborhood meeting, 4-6 pregnant teens, but we found out at the public hearing, the special use permit allots for 6-9.

The special use permit has a conditional approval recommendation by staff, and a denial by the member over District 6. It has moved on to a final vote by the City Council on December 9, 2025 at 5 p.m. Though several attended the neighborhood meeting at the property location, we only had a few concerned residents show up at the planning commission hearing to voice the concerns of our community. The planning commissioner over District 6 voted against this proposal after insightful deliberations, listening to constituents express worries about how this establishment – with its round-the-clock rotating staff – could disrupt our established neighborhood. We need our concerns addressed and taken seriously and we need to sign the petition and show up at the city council meeting on December 9, 2025. 

Watch the meeting from November 19, 2025:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGHwt_2WvFc

See information for public hearing on December 9, 2025 and download agenda here: 
https://www.cityofsouthfultonga.gov/2233/Meeting-Agendas-and-Minutes

The property owner, who is an Atlanta resident, said they are now our "neighbors," and it is all of our responsibilities to look after the next generation of young people and those in need.  Some of you may already do your due diligence to look after the youth and those in need, some of you may foster, teach, and serve your community in various capacities. While it is vital to provide care and support to those in need, including troubled teens, and we commend the property owner’s efforts, the choice of location for such endeavors should consider the existing community and their concerns. Moreover, we are reminded that this special use permit, which will allow this conversion to a group home, is still a business, with a contract with the Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS). The property owner also owns another group home for men, in Columbus, GA.  It is noted that although the property owner emphasized being "our new neighbor," the owner will not be living nor on the premises most of the time; is still a City of Atlanta resident, and the home will have a 24-hour rotating staff on-site to see after these 13-18 year-old pregnant teens and their babies. This will bring staff parking of their personal vehicles, visitors, medical/care services for the pregnant teens, etc. The property owner also mentioned two transport vans being on site.

The question was raised by a resident and echoed by one of the members on the commission, why the property owner did not attempt to establish this group home within the City of Atlanta, in their own community. You can listen to the line of questioning and answers given at the public hearing; one repeat answer being "it is all of our responsibilities." Yet, we are reminded, though commendable, this is a business. Are we going to sit idly by while the business interests of a City of Atlanta resident who wants to establish this group home in our community supersedes the interests of the residents of South Fulton? We are the actual constituents and voting base for the City of South Fulton city council and mayor. We are proud residents of the City of South Fulton and our new mayor-elect campaigned on "Making South Fulton economically strong with smart growth while preserving our neighborhoods and character."  We must remind them of that. 

As it has moved to a final vote by the City Council, the representative for District 6, appointed by our City Council member, Natasha Williams-Brown, asked the property owner if prior to purchasing the home, if residents in our neighborhood had been notified. The property owner eluded that prior to purchasing the home for this business, they did not get any pushback from any of the residents. However, it was discovered that unlike the individual notices that were in our mailboxes regarding the neighborhood meeting on October 29, 2025, this was not done prior to purchasing the property. The property owner stated they "posted" in a  "newsletter." Who actually receives this newsletter remains to be seen. It was not posted in the City of South Fulton newspaper, the NextDoor app for the Pinetree community, so in essence the District 6 member concluded that the property owner did not do due diligence to actually reach the 3701+ residents that live within one mile of the property prior to purchasing the residence.

The board brought up great questions to address the impact and many neighborhood concerns: impact on property values, traffic/congestion, parking, the round-the-clock-staff, visitors, what happens if the pregnant teens get pregnant again a second time (take note, if the teen girls get pregnant a 2nd time, though the children are not in DFACS custody, it is up to the mother whether or not she chooses to keep the child/children with her); if the property owner’s neighbors in the Cascade community would support a group home in their neighborhood; and if the special use permit is not granted, has the property owner considered other alternatives.

The heart of our concerns lie in the potential disruption to the tranquil character of our neighborhood. The constant activity associated with a group residence designed to cater aspects beyond typical residential activity could compromise the safety and harmony we have upheld for years. If approved, what precedence could this set/establish for our community? How will they be able to deny future group homes with this precedence on record? Our community, built on trust and familiarity among residents, faces the threat of unpredictable changes ignoring the existing dynamics and emotional investments of its current residents.  

We urge you to please sign the petition and make your voices heard. We see our city is growing. We are near the airport and the Old National Corridor. However, we have also seen many homes going up for sale in our community. What will this special use permit mean for the future of our neighborhood? What are the ramifications if it is approved and it does not go as smoothly as the property owner suggests, and it does have an adverse impact on our neighborhood? Once the damage is done, we cannot go back in time and undo it. An issue was brought up by some community residents about other group homes in our community, which we were not notified of special use permits being granted. Are they operating illegally? We need this investigated and addressed as well.

We want the decision-makers to consider and address the concerns of the homeowners in our community; and ask them to put themselves in our shoes. Would they approve a group home in their neighborhood, on their street, or next door to them? For the council members who represent districts outside of District 6, would they approve this special use permit to turn a SFR into a group home in the communities they represent? We know this would not fly in some of the other districts in South Fulton so why would they approve it for our community?

We would like them and the property owner to consider alternative locations for this group residence that would not impose such challenges on a close-knit well-established community such as ours. For those who may not know, there is an entire foster home community with beautiful homes allocated right over in Christian City for children. Moreover, there may be a place that already exists to help and support women/children on Highway 29, not too far from the South Fulton Annex that is being expanded. One of the representatives addressed at the hearing that he sits on the board of "one of the oldest group homes" in the City of Atlanta. He stated that it sits on several acres, is gated and although "near" is not abutting other residential homes. Therefore, there are certainly places, better suited due to their infrastructure, where this initiative could thrive without adverse impacts to the community, homeowners, property values, etc. We commend the property owner, for the intended purposes of this group home (still a business), wanting to keep these young pregnant teens near friends and in a community they know.  We can debate if it is sound judgment to keep troubled teens in/near environments they are familiar with. There are better locations/areas which could offer an environment conducive to the care and development these pregnant teens need, their medical care, and the needs of the infants that will be born if these mothers decide to keep their babies with them in this group home; where according to the owner they can stay with their children until they reach the age of 18. 

We stand together to express these concerns, not out of opposition to helping vulnerable teens, but out of duty towards preserving the unique fabric of our neighborhood. We respectfully call on our local government and relevant stakeholders to review the special use permit proposal carefully with our community’s interests in mind; and also what may be better alternatives and environments for these troubled teens. The council still has not tackled the high-speed racing prevalent in our community. The new speed bumps have helped but unfortunately, the cul-de-sac where the property is located and other side streets are still common areas for speeding. Moreover, the ongoing shooting that is often heard and scary for residents is still of grave concern.

If you share the concerns of these group homes being established in your neighborhood, please sign this petition and make your voice heard. Join us in protecting our neighborhood and it’s future by signing this petition. Your signature could be the catalyst that brings about a positive, considerate outcome for both our community and the individuals it aims to support.