By DON DARE
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - The mother of an autistic Knoxville teenager says the two are being evicted from their apartment because the teen is too noisy.
Sharon Roberts' 16-year-old son, Drew, is severely autistic. The condition is the result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain function.
A person with autism needs predictability and routine. Without it, he can get upset and act out including yelling or screaming.
Sharon says Drew has the intellectual level of a pre-school child. When 6 On Your Side visited, he was fascinated with an Android tablet he got for Christmas.
His mother believes that's because some new medication he started taking recently has made him calmer.
However, Sharon says sometimes Drew has bad days and he's very loud.
"When he watches certain movies, he will stem. He will jump up and down. It's called stemming with autistic children. That means he jumps up and down. He bangs his head and makes screaming noises," she explained.
A warning letter was sent to Sharon in early November saying Drew had violated the apartment complex noise ordinance. "Your lease will be terminated in 30 days if you do not correct this problem," it said.
There were numerous complaints against the family since last summer for disturbing others in the apartment complex.
Sharon and Drew have lived in a townhouse at Kensington Forest Apartments in Powell since June.
"He hasn't liked it since the day he moved in," Sharon said. "He has nothing to do, no yard to play in. He lost his dog."
A house in Halls was Drew's home from the time he was born. It had a big back yard where he used to play.
But in April 2010, the house burned. Fire investigators believe a faulty stove started the blaze.
For Drew, the disruption of losing the only home he knew broke his routine and sense of security, and there's been a lot of acting out.
Brook Dickerson, with the Autism Society, says that's not unusual. "They panic. They get anxious, and for someone with autism when they get anxious, they act out. They're very physical. They move a lot. They make noise."
For a grown child like Drew, Dickerson says that noise can be loud. "They're physically acting out the panic and anxiety they feel because of the break in routine."
His mother says, "Sometimes he will wake up at 3:00 in the morning. What do I do? I get up and take care of my son and have been since he was born."
In December, a final notice arrived from the apartment complex saying, "This is notify you that your lease with Kensington Forest is terminated."
Sharon is a single mom who lives on a fixed income. She and Drew have to be out by January 12. "They need to give me more time because I don't have the money to move," she said.
The owner of the apartment complex, Chris Hodges, says he'll give the pair another two months, if needed, to find a low income home that's approved by the Knoxville Community Development Corp.
Hodges says he's tried to be sensitive to the needs of Drew and other tenants.
Sharon Roberts is grateful for the extra time. "He can't help it. He was born this way. He can't help the way that he is."
KCDC says finding an affordable two bedroom house to rent won't be easy. With cutbacks to HUD, there are not a lot of low income rental homes in the Knoxville area that fit the government's criteria. But officials hope they can find a house for Drew and his mother.
If you have a consumer issue, call the 6 On Your Side Hotline at 865-633-5974 or email ddare@wate.com.
Sharon Roberts' 16-year-old son, Drew, is severely autistic.
In April 2010, the family's house in Halls caught fire due to a faulty stove.
