December 15, 2025
The single mother of four had to immediately vacate the property following the discovery.
A single mother of four in Metro Atlanta is suing her landlord after discovering fecal matter blowing from her home’s heater.
Tiarra Logan had been in a year-long battle with her landlord over a sewage issue that led to even grosser discoveries. Despite informing her landlord about the sewage backup, the issue persisted and affected other parts of the home.
Logan initially moved to the Metro Atlanta neighborhood of Snellville three years ago to escape a domestic situation. Coming all the way from California, this current housing ordeal left her with limited options. Now, she and her four children must share a hotel room during the holidays, a situation she deems unfair and preventable.
“We shouldn’t be living like this,” Logan explained to Atlanta News First, before adding, “I don’t have family here. I left California to come here for safety. It took me wanting to see something different for them, so that’s why I’m here.”
She first discovered the sewage problems last year, but the landlord, STAR Borrower SFR6 LP, and the property manager for Invitation Homes gave her household remedies to resolve the issues.
“I complained, ‘What’s going on? What’s that smell? They told me, ‘Just pour bleach down the drain. Everything’s going to be fine,” Logan said.
After months of no real progress, property management sent a contractor to investigate the matter. Despite the contractor finding no issue, things began to escalate as the sewage backed up into the tub and toilet.
Her children also began to get sick, with another contractor finding the backup in the sewage tank. Invitation Homes is calling the issue resolved upon the discovery. However, the smell still lingered, and black spots appeared in the heater vents.
The contractors did not fix the sewage leaks, with additional fees and rent issues also adding to her rental woes. However, the Metro Atlanta mother tried to keep up with the charges to conceal her address.
“The reason I kept paying my rent was because I didn’t want my address exposed,” Logan continued. “With an eviction being filed, your name can be searched, and the address pops up.”
Fees from renters’ insurance and home liability began to pile up, and a double rent charge made matters worse. The issues led to an eviction notice on her account. However, she successfully fought the problem, with a Gwinnett County Magistrate Court judge ordering Invitation Homes to repay her $6,000 and to repair the damage to the home.
Months later, the property group still has yet to repay her, insisting on giving her a credit instead. Now that her address was made public, Logan opted to move out to protect her and her children’s safety. However, she needs the ruling’s money to do so effectively.
It wasn’t until this November that another contractor discovered the sewage that had leaked into the home’s HVAC unit.
“We were blowing fecal vapors throughout the home the entire time,” Logan shared.
Experts deemed the water in the overflowed toilet extremely hazardous, forcing Logan to evacuate her family abruptly. Now, she remains in limbo for her next home, as Invitation Homes continues to grapple with several controversies. Last year, the property group settled a $48 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission for reportedly deceiving renters, including letting them live in unsafe conditions.
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