ROSWELL, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Andrew Wordes gained notoriety in Roswell after fighting the city to keep chickens in his backyard.
Wordes won that fight, but now faces a different challenge, saving his home.
For the past 16 years, Wordes said he has lived in his home in Roswell. In September of 2009, during Georgia's historic floods, Wordes said his home flooded. Wordes claimed the city did not file for federal funds to buy back his home because they learned he had chickens in his backyard. From that point on, Wordes said the city of Roswell was out to get him.
"They city has done everything they can to basically try and run me out of town because of my chickens, and not pay for the damage they caused by the flooding," said Wordes. "If I hadn't challenged Roswell, they probably would have taken the FEMA money and purchased my neighbor's house, and my house and let us move on. That is what they refused to do."
Wordes admits he was arrested for trying to grade his property, to raise it to protect it from flooding.
According to the city of Roswell, he violated code ordinances.
Once he went to jail, Wordes said he lost everything.
"All I have to say is someone needs to step up and do something because you could be next, they could do it to you," he said.
City officials said they would have filed the FEMA paperwork for Wordes, but said he did not qualify for the loan.
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