by Reports that someone from outside Habersham County is bringing homeless persons into the area and moving them onto private property without the landowners’ permission are being looked into by the Cornelia Police Department.
The department said in a statement that they are actively investigating allegations that an unidentified individual has been leaving homeless people on Cornelia’s land after leaving them outside the county, raising health, safety, and legal issues for both the homeless people and property owners.
Suspect is male; woman delivering food to homeless
Cornelia Police Chief Jonathan Roberts stated, “There is a male, whose race I am not sure of, who is allegedly going out of county and bringing people in.” It’s the only information we have, so it may be a total falsehood.Jonathan Roberts, Chief of Police in Cornelia Mullis, Chaz./NowHabersham.com
Additionally, the department has been notified that a lady or group of women may be bringing meals to the people who are being dropped off. Roberts underlined that even though most persons have good intentions, when they act without authorization or coordination, it might have unexpected results.
It’s concerning that someone would be purposefully bringing individuals into our county, he said.
Property owners unhappy
The effects of illegal encampments have been the subject of several complaints from locals, business owners, and property owners, according to Cornelia Police.
According to the police chief, business owners are required to remove rubbish from homeless campers. They’re leaving behind uneaten food, used feminine products, and excrement that attracts rodents. Overall, it’s simply making things nasty.
The locations where homeless persons are dropped off are nearer Baldwin, Roberts said. He identified three locations where homeless people have been left: the train bridge in Baldwin, the forested area near the Tidal Wave Car Wash in Cornelia, and the area next to Baldwin Road and Highway 441.
Additionally, he cautioned that property owners face serious legal dangers in these circumstances.
If someone is harmed, property owners may be held accountable. According to him, the owners and their insurers are liable for any damage to the property.
Roberts claims that many of the same people are showing up at several unapproved locations throughout the city.
Every day, we interact with the same five or six individuals at various settings. They don’t really say anything when you ask them how they got here. Although some of them claimed to have been dropped off, we don’t have many helpful details about how they got to Habersham County.
He went on to say that if individuals who are assisting the homeless pointed them in the direction of services that are capable of meeting their requirements, better results may be obtained.
How to help
The Cornelia Police Department is requesting that anyone who knows who might be in charge of picking up and dropping off homeless people in the city call them at 706-778-4314. You can make anonymous calls by calling the city’s tip line at 706-894-3077. Additionally, tips can be sent via the department’s Facebook page or the Cornelia city website.
In its statement, the agency said, “We appreciate the community’s compassion, but we ask that people not place individuals on private property or leave supplies without permission.” These behaviors lead to major problems with safety, hygienic conditions, and the law.
City authorities are asking citizens to focus their charity endeavors through recognized groups or get in touch with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for advice on appropriate and legal methods to help while the inquiry is ongoing.
