Atlanta resident’s family home demolished by mistake, city charges her for cleanup

Returning from a holiday should be a time of relief and comfort, but for Susan Hodgson of Atlanta, Georgia, it turned into a nightmare. Hodgson discovered that her family’s home, which had been in their possession for generations, had been mistakenly demolished while she was away.

The demolition came to light when a neighbour questioned Hodgson about it, leading to a shocking revelation. Hodgson recounted the incident, stating that the workers responsible had been rude to her neighbour and only stopped the demolition when confronted with the wrong address on their permit.

Despite the mistake, the City of Atlanta has charged Hodgson with cleaning up the debris from the demolition, threatening her with a fine if she fails to do so. Hodgson expressed her disbelief and frustration, stating that the home had been boarded up and maintained for years, with taxes paid regularly.

Initially, the demolition company, You Call It We Haul It, promised to investigate and rectify the situation. However, Hodgson claims that they have not reached out to her since the incident. The city has issued a notice of correction to Hodgson, giving her a deadline to clean up the mess and obtain the necessary permits.

The City of Atlanta clarified that the demolition without a permit is a violation of city code and is considered a civil matter between Hodgson and the responsible party. Despite this, Hodgson is left to deal with the aftermath of the accidental demolition and the financial burden of cleaning up the mess.