Flames, Failures, and a Firefighter CEO
Davinci Barcelo and SAFE Are Reclaiming Sweet Auburn
A year or so ago, unknown members of the Old Wheat encampment set a fire that nearly engulfed several buildings.
On March 6, 2025, a large, unconfined fire was observed while passing by the Old Wheat Street encampment. The property owner was notified, they called 911 and was placed on hold.
JOINSAFE.org Founder and CEO Davinci Barcelo, retrieved a fire extinguisher then approached the encampment to extinguish the flames. The encampment has a history of “firebugs” that found joy in placing things and people on fire.
A problem that is perpetuated by nonprofit entities such as Remerge, that raked in more than 10 million dollars in profits from the pain and exploitation of the poor. ((Read full 990 here)
Andy Odle of Remerge, and the organizer of the Coalition of Justice for Cornelius “Psycho” Taylor acknowledges that the encampment poses an immediate risk to the public safety at large but continues to supply the occupants with tents and flame creating devices like propane heaters with tanks of flammable fuel.
SAFE has worked with and continues to engage Atlanta Police Department and local City Council members and officials to remedy the issue at hand. Upon field inspection, many of the tents are empty and don’t “house” anyone. As the death of Psycho was analyzed, an acknowledgment was made that if the walls were removed then the City workers involved in his death would have been able to see him.
Therefore, unclaimed tents are identified as debris and the tent walls are removed to ensure the safety of all parties involved in clean up. Tents that are claimed by individuals are left alone and the owner is advised to relocate the tent from the roadway consistent with OCGA 32-6-6 and Atlanta ordinance 106-12.
On January 28, of 2025 a moratorium was advanced into legislation to prevent the City of Atlanta from using heavy equipment to remove encampment debris such as tents.
On February 2, 2025 a bill requiring the City of Atlanta to pay $1,000,000 dollars to Hope Atlanta, a cohort of Remerge and Continuum of Care partners of Partners for Home.
Click to read: One Mill to Hope Atlanta 
On February 3, 2025 the bill was approved.
Feb 3, 2025: Click to read Approval of Bill
Since November of 2024 until March 9, 2025, there have been no violent acts of crime committed in the areas that SAFE patrols. The Atlanta Police Department is limited in human resources and the brave officers of the force are often not welcomed in the area without immense scrutiny for performing their jobs.
Thereby creating a supplemental need for public safety units. SAFE has successfully deterred drug dealers, public use of narcotics, and decommissioned a substantial segment of the Old Wheat Street encampment without the loss of life or injury.
The only question remaining is will you continue to fund failures such as Remerge, Partners for Homes and Hope Atlanta or will you choose to make the Sweet Auburn Historic District SAFE again?
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