Atlanta Mayor announces program to provide housing support for residents

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    ATLANTA, Ga. (WGCL) — Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Thursday that the city has allocated $22 million to provide housing support to over 6,700 Atlantans.

The funds were allocated from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to the Atlanta COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

The program is administrated by the United Way of Greater Atlanta in which it will provide rental, utility, and/or security deposit assistance to residents through a network of local service providers, who were selected through a Request for Proposal process, according to officials.

“Many Atlanta residents continue to face long-term challenges with sustainable, living-wage-level employment, affordable housing, and other unacceptable inequalities,” said Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

“This first-of-a-kind plan and policy for the city provides a clear pathway toward improving the lives of communities that have been left behind and will help strengthen our economy for the future. It is another major step towards Atlanta becoming a truly affordable, resilient, and equitable city for all,” Bottoms added.

The coronavirus pandemic has intensified housing instability for Atlanta residents, increasing the risk for foreclosure, eviction, and homelessness, officials told CBS46 News.

“As many as 16,000 households in the City of Atlanta make under $50,000 a year and are employed in occupations that are at high risk of layoffs from COVID,” said Milton J. Little, Jr., President, and CEO of United Way of Greater Atlanta.

“Through our partnership with the City of Atlanta on the Atlanta COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program, we will be able to provide relief to families with children, lower-income earning households, and other vulnerable populations,” Little added.

To apply for assistance and view eligibility requirements and FAQs, options include:

Access the client application by visiting unitedwayatlanta.org or by clicking here.

Text the keyword C19-ERA to 898-211 to be directed to the application page.

Visit 211online.unitedwayatlanta.org

Call 2-1-1 to speak with a live 2-1-1 Community Connection Specialist Hours are limited from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Due to high call volumes, the above-listed options are preferred.

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