Letter: Apartment Residents Concerned Over Displacement for Mixed-Use Development

A resident at Versailles Apartments on Roswell Road says families there need to know details of their upcoming displacement for a new development.

for conversion to a luxury residential mixed-use development. The sale is not yet complete according to the parties. And JLB is awaiting approval of zone modification by the City of Sandy Springs.

"I am just a very concerned resident living here on the edge..."

In a letter to the editor, a resident wrote:

“There are a lot of families living in this complex with school-age children. We need to know are we going to get 1 month notice, 2 month notice or what, to vacate this property. 

Please keep in mind that the property owner is still renting out new apartment and renewing leases. 

As a parent, I really need to know, will our children get to finish the year out at their school  - High Point Elementary?

I am just a very concerned resident living here on the edge and very much worried about if tomorrow I will get a letter telling me and my family we have 2 weeks to vacate…”

Management: "Understand, this is a lengthy process..."

The resident added that despite the questions, management has kept an open line of communication with tenants. A week ago, a detailed letter from the property manager was sent to the community saying the sale is expected to be complete by spring 2013, and the management company would try to help them find alternative housing.  A resdent provided a letter from property manager Daniel Matyniak, which said in part, “Understand this is a lengthy process and we hope to learn something by the end of this year.”

Versailles and Chastain Apartments are managed by First Communities Management, Inc., which manages other properties on Roswell Road according to senior portfolio manager Stephanie Morel. After inquires by Patch, Morel responded by email and said, “…We are continuing to lease at both communities as this sale is pending and we have not received anything definitive from buyers that would indicate otherwise.”

Zoning modification is scheduled to go before the city’s Design Review Board on Sept. 25., and likely before the Planning Commission in November. City spokesperson Sharon Kraun said the zoning modification would not be presented to City Council before December.

Neither the City, nor JLB Partners would comment on residents’ concerns over vacating their apartments. Matt Hallman, vice president of acquisitions at JLB, said the firm is focused on the zoning. “We’re under contract to buy the property at this point and that’s it," he said.