Sunday, August 5, 2012

Edgewood: Eviction Free Zone




Today the Edgewood neighborhood was declared an eviction free zone by community members and several organizations doing work around housing issue. What prompted this declaration, besides being under the lash of a historic housing crisis, was particularly cruel eviction that came with no warning at all.

Around 8:30 AM on Friday August 3rd  Sherrye Calhoun woke up to Sheriff’s Deputies knocking on her door. They demanded that she leave her home immediately. Over the course of the morning Sheriff Thomas Brown’s deputies supervised her eviction. They had no warrant or writ of possession. She has lived in the home for 30 years.

            Within hours, Ms. Calhoun’s possessions were moved back into her house with the help of Edgewood residents and supporters. She is currently still residing in that house, determined to resist eviction should it again be attempted.

            That evening, Edgewood residents formed a group, Eviction Free Edgewood (EFE), determined to resist eviction of Edgewood residents. On Sunday, EFE, with Ms. Calhoun, hosted a barbeque to build community resistance. About 100 people were in attendance throughout the day.
 
  Today Sherrye hosted an eviction free cookout that ended up packing her yard with folks that committed to stand with Sherrye should any more crimes (by Sheriff Browns deputies) be committed against her.


Join us at 11:00AM on Monday August 6th at Sherrye’s home, 39 Aberdeen Street Atlanta, GA 30307 to hear Sherrye tell her story alongside neighbors and community members deeply concerned by this eviction, and other housing issues in their community.

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