Commissioners slam living conditions, crime at Bon Air Apartments

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Bon Air Apartments – site of at least two shootings and one suspicious death in the past month – was a topic of discussion for Augusta Commission members at Tuesday’s meeting.

Aside from crime problems, the Section 8 apartment building that was once a grand hotel has living conditions that have drawn the scrutiny and criticism of U.S. Rep. Rick Allen.

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The discussion Tuesday began at the request of Commissioner Catherin Smith-Rice.

She called the conditions deplorable at the building at 2101 Walton Way.

Commissioner Jordan Johnson is demanding a code enforcement walk-through at the apartments and for its owner, Redwood Housing, to be questioned by commissioners.

Rice said residents living in and around there do not feel safe, and she wants the owner’s business license placed on probation.

She asked the city attorney to get back with her with a path forward.

Recent incidents at Bon Air include:

• The suspicious death of Larry Laws, 71, on May 20. His body was found by his nephew.
• A May 24 shooting that injured one person at the apartments.
• A June 9 shooting that injured four people at the apartments.
• A March 13 stabbing that injured one person there.