By DON DARE
6 On Your Side Reporter
POWELL (WATE) - There's good news for a Powell woman and her autistic teenage son who were about to lose their place to live.
Sharon Roberts and her son, Drew, 16, were about to be evicted from their apartment because he makes too much noise. For instance, he often screams when he's frustrated.
The pair will soon leave their government-subsidized apartment in Powell for a rental home in the Cumberland Estates community.
On January 4, the owner of Kensington Forest Apartments told 6 On Your Side he reversed his initial order evicting Sharon and Drew over noise and giving them extra time to find a new home.
A house in Halls was Drew's home from the time he was born, but last spring it caught fire. Drew lost his sense of security and routine when they had to move to the apartment in Powell.
The Knoxville Community Development Corp. said there were few homes to fit their needs, but a 6 News viewer who saw their story called Sharon to say she had a rental home.
"I'm just so excited," Sharon said. "I feel like it's a miracle for Andrew and myself because I was really discouraged there for a while wondering where I was going to go."
KCDC's approval for the Cumberland Estates home is expected within a few weeks. It has "two bedrooms, a fenced backyard, everything that Drew needs," Sharon said.
If you have a consumer issue, call the 6 On Your Side Hotline at 865-633-5974 or email ddare@wate.com.
Sharon Roberts is packing to move.
