CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — The Budgetel Inn on Carson Loop in Bartow County was a place dozens of low-income families called home. But now, it's shut down after the county health department suspended its permit – saying its not safe.
Tenants said they were notified they had to leave just 24 hours before they were forced to get out, leaving guests frustrated with many not knowing where they would go.
“We are gonna go get tents, go over to a campsite, and we are gonna camp out for a couple of weeks until we have enough money to get a place,” one resident told 11Alive.
That was his plan, until help arrived Wednesday when county officials and church organizations stepped in.
Nicole Bush owns a small moving company. She said when she heard the news, she had to help.
“Kids are getting home from school because it was a half day, and you know, they’re confused they don’t know, well, 'did mom grab this?' And you know, what else," she explained. "It breaks my heart, honestly."
Photos: Cartersville motel shutting down, leaving families scrambling
11Alive saw several other people helping, too - passing out donated Chick-fil-A and trying to find people a permanent place to stay.
"I’m just thankful this community has been able to pull together for these families," Bush said. "I’ve told them all that this is one door closing, but I just know that God is opening up another door for all of them."
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Courteney Gamadanis is with the Factory Church. Her mission: to help relocate these families - many who've called the Budgetel home for more than 10 years - with no place to go.
“Basically we are just here saying, 'what can we do?'” Gamadanis said.
Victor Abercrombie, Bartow County’s environmental health manager, said more than 80 children lived there. They've all been forced to leave after the county had to condemn the building.
"You’re walking into one room with one bed and one bathroom, there’s no kitchen, there’s no stove, there’s nothing like that, and there’s families living in those rooms!” one volunteer said.
A contractor working with the construction company hired to fix the motel told 11Alive previously it's not possible for families to stay there while they work to try and right the violations.
Bartow County officials said the owner of the motel was aware that changes needed to be made a year ago to bring the business up to code. The total cost for the upgrades comes with a steep price tag - $700,000 total, which the owner of the motel, Trisha Brater, is scrambling to find. She told 11Alive she just learned herself of the eviction order, Tuesday.
"Did you know that this was going to transpire, that these families were going to have to move out?" 11Alive asked Brater.
"I was praying not. No, I didn't know until today," she said.
Ric Hollingsworth is one of the tenants forced to leave. His dog Skeeter won’t be coming with him as he makes his move to another motel.
“He’s one of those cuddlers," he described of Skeeter. "He’s gotta get right up next to ya when you’re sleeping, ya know?”
Skeeter’s new home, meanwhile, will be an animal shelter - temporarily Hollingsworth promised - until he can find permanent housing.
Garbage bags full of clothes - bins closed tight. Ready to go.
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