Public Defecation is a Real Stinker in Old Fourth Ward

OLD FOURTH WARD — Last September, we documented the plight of Wayne Brawner, the Boulevard homeowner and businessman who months trying to get City Hall to enforce its codes.

Brawner's main issues revolved around trash left on empty lots, a church that illegally blocked parking on a public street and people using empty lots and backyards as their personal porta potties.

The church's illegal "no parking" sign has been painted over, he told East Atlanta Patch.

"But as far as people taking a poop or pissing behind the tree or in the wide open, no." Brawner told Patch. "My clients have to see this."

He sent Patch this video he took recently of a man defecating on Boulevard in broad daylight.

Jay Tribby, chief of staff to Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall, said the office will investigate.

Brawner said the incident is of many public infractions that occur in the vacant lots and homes in the area bounded by Boulevard, Irwin, Howell and Old Wheat streets.

Some of the vacant lots are owned by the Historic District Development Corp.

"We could surround the lots with 6-foot tall chain link fence with barbed wire on top of it but that wouldn't be very appealing to the community and would prevent everyone from accessing the property as public space," said Jesse Clark, the HDDC's executive director.

He added the Boulevard lots are slated to be developed in 2014.

"Also, we have taken steps to clear and maintain these lots to improve visibility and discourage vagrant behavior.

"Several neighborhood residents currently access these lots as public space given that the only official public green space in the lower Old Fourth Ward is fenced off from resident access," he said, citing the former David T. Howard School's field, which is leased to a private soccer league.

Brawner said homeless people often defecate behind the church that had the illegal parking sign, Zion Tabernacle Fire Baptized Holiness Church at 64 Hogue St.

He said they also defecate on private properties owned by the church.

Church officials could not be immediately reached Friday.

Last week, Brawner said he saw an intoxicated man standing in the middle of Hogue Street, urinating.

Atlanta police say public urination and defecation violate city codes and that people should call 911 whenever they see such infractions.