Residents evicted from Garner apartment complex fear homelessness

In just over a week, the remaining residents of a Garner apartment complex will have to be out of their homes, although many families still have nowhere to go.

The new owner of Forest Hills Apartments, on 7th Avenue, plans to renovate the property and won't accept any form of housing assistance payments when the complex reopens. Individuals and families in all 136 apartments must move out by June 15.

Forty-six units are still occupied, and many residents have not found new homes.

"I know I gotta get up out of here, but it just came on me all of a sudden," said Karryen Leach. "I never would have thought it would have happened but it did."

Wake County leaders and other local officials have joined together to help those families in need.

"We have an Uber driver who is driving these citizens to find apartments. We've had a moving company who is moving folks out of these apartments, and we've even had a realtor who has helped find these families additional housing," said Sig Hutchinson, with the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

But with the lack of affordable housing in the county, many are still getting nowhere.

"If we had more time...it would be easier to house these people over time, but 139 units in this type of market, is very difficult to find," said Hutchinson.

Leach is hoping for some sort of solution soon because she has no idea what next week will bring.

"I'm feeling like now, what I have to do, is go and stay in the shelter. But I don't want to be there. I don't want to be there," she said.

Anyone who has or knows of available housing for the Forest Hills residents is asked to call the Wake County Housing Division at 919-856-5689.