Working Together to Create Better, Safer Neighborhoods
INSIDE THE QUALITY OF LIFE UNIT
of The Dekalb County Solicitor-General’s Office
A five-part video series highlighting how the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office partners with residents, businesses and community agencies to improve quality of life throughout DeKalb County. Episodes Promo Quality of Life.mp4
Every neighborhood tells a story. Sometimes it’s a once-thriving commercial property that has fallen into disrepair. Sometimes it’s an illegal business operating in a residential neighborhood. Other times it’s an overgrown property, excessive noise or another local ordinance violation affecting the people who call that neighborhood home.
While these issues may seem isolated, they can impact the safety, appearance and quality of life of an entire community.
Recognizing those challenges, Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling established the Quality of Life Unit in 2017 to provide a dedicated team focused on prosecuting local ordinance violations while promoting long-term compliance through education, accountability and collaboration.
“Creating better, safer neighborhoods begins with working together,” said Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling. “Our Quality of Life Unit partners with residents, Code Enforcement and community agencies to address issues that affect our neighborhoods, encourage compliance with county ordinances and help improve the quality of life for everyone who calls DeKalb County home.”
Today, the Quality of Life Unit is comprised of three Assistant Solicitors General, a dedicated investigator and a legal assistant who work together to prosecute cases involving property maintenance concerns, nuisance properties, illegal businesses operating outside local regulations and other county ordinance violations.
The unit works closely with DeKalb County Code Enforcement and other regulatory agencies to help resolve residential and commercial quality-of-life concerns while encouraging compliance with county ordinances.
More Than Prosecution
According to Deputy Chief Terry Grandison, who leads the Quality of Life Unit, the work extends beyond simply prosecuting violations.
The goal is to help property owners understand local ordinances, resolve violations and achieve positive outcomes that benefit both the community and the property owner whenever possible.
“Our goal isn’t simply to prosecute violations,” Grandison said. “We want to help people understand the county’s ordinances, bring properties into compliance and ultimately improve the quality of life for everyone in our communities.”
Many cases are resolved after property owners correct violations and work cooperatively to bring their property into compliance.
That approach benefits everyone involved, from residents concerned about their neighborhood to business and property owners seeking to comply with county regulations.
How the Process Works
The Quality of Life process begins when a resident reports a concern to DeKalb County Code Enforcement.
After receiving a complaint, a Code Enforcement Officer investigates the property to determine whether a county ordinance has been violated.
If appropriate, a citation is issued and the matter is scheduled for court. At that point, the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office becomes involved.
Prosecutors meet with the property owner to discuss the case and explore opportunities to resolve the violation. Many cases are resolved after corrective action is taken, although defendants also have the right to contest the citation before a judge or jury.
The objective is always the same, to promote compliance while protecting the quality of life of the surrounding community.
Positive Outcomes Through Compliance
One of the most rewarding aspects of the Quality of Life Unit’s work is helping property owners understand county ordinances and successfully come into compliance.
In one case, neighbors became concerned about late-night traffic coming from a home operating as an unlicensed food business.
Working through the court process, prosecutors educated the property owner about zoning requirements, business licensing and public health regulations.
The owner accepted responsibility, relocated the business to a properly zoned commercial location and continued serving customers legally.
For the neighborhood, the late-night traffic ended. For the business owner, education created an opportunity for long-term success.
Accountability That Makes a Difference
The Quality of Life Unit also works with commercial property owners to address larger community concerns.
In one case, a once-popular movie theater had become vacant and fallen into disrepair, resulting in loitering and other neighborhood concerns.
Through the court process, the corporate property owner was required to take corrective action, including installing security fencing, securing windows and repairing damaged signage. The owners even went a step further and added surveillance cameras to improve security around the property.
While the property still faces challenges, those improvements helped address significant community concerns and demonstrated the importance of accountability and compliance.
Watch the Series
Learn more about the work of the Quality of Life Unit through our five-part video series featuring Deputy Chief Terry Grandison.
Episode 1: What Is the Quality of Life Unit?
- Learn about the mission, history and purpose of the specialized unit established to help create better, safer neighborhoods.
Episode 2: A Neighborhood Concern Becomes a Community Success Story
- See how education and collaboration helped a local business owner come into compliance while resolving neighborhood concerns.
Episode 3: The Top 5 Code Violations We See
Episode 3 Common Code Violations Flyer.mp4
- Deputy Chief Grandison discusses some of the most common ordinance violations encountered by the Quality of Life Unit.
Episode 4: What Happens After a Code Complaint Is Filed?
Episode 4 QOL Code Complaint Process.mp4
- Follow the process from a resident’s complaint to Code Enforcement, court proceedings and compliance.
Episode 5: A Corporate Property Compliance Success Story
Episode 5 Corporate Compliance.mp4
- Learn how accountability and corrective action helped address community concerns involving vacant commercial property.
A Commitment to Better, Safer Neighborhoods
Every resolved case represents more than compliance with a county ordinance.
It represents neighbors who can enjoy their community, businesses that understand and follow local regulations, and property owners who take pride in maintaining safe, welcoming spaces.
“The Quality of Life Unit is about more than resolving individual cases,” Solicitor-General Coleman-Stribling said. “It’s about working alongside our residents and community partners to promote accountability, encourage compliance and help create better, safer neighborhoods throughout DeKalb County. Together, we’re building a stronger quality of life for everyone we serve.”
Need to Report a Concern?
To report a possible code violation or nuisance property:
DeKalb County Code Enforcement
404-687-3700
You may also submit a request through DeKalb County 311 or the county’s online Code Enforcement reporting system.
Questions for the Quality of Life Unit?
404-371-2201
