On this edition of “Closer Look,” Wellroot Family Services president and CEO Allison Ashe apologizes to the residents of 750 East Lake Drive after an initial 38-day notice to vacate left tenants hurrying to find new affordable housing.
Ashe attributes the abrupt move-out notice to an internal error on part of the organization, which has since offered extended move-out times for remaining residents and is negotiating coverage of moving costs for these families.
“We certainly did not mean to cause any harm to the current residents of the property,” Ashe said. “We’ve been trying to rectify the situation and take actions to make the transition as smooth as possible for those folks.”
Wellroot Family Services, previously known as United Methodist Children’s Home, operates underneath the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. The organization provides a variety of wraparound services, including the facilitation of foster care.
Ashe says Wellroot intends to repurpose the property as a means for housing families and individuals it serves through its programs — citing nearby opportunities for employment and transport, as well as the family-oriented nature of community living as driving forces in the purchase.
