Atlanta Mayor Bottoms announces COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program

ATLANTA–Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the City of Atlanta has allocated $22 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to the Atlanta COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program to provide housing support to Atlanta residents.

Administered by United Way of Greater Atlanta, the program will provide rental, utility, and/or security deposit assistance to more than 6,700 City of Atlanta residents through a network of local service providers, who were selected through a Request for Proposal process.

City of Atlanta residential renters who have experienced a loss of income because of COVID-19 will be able to receive assistance with the payment of their past due rent, utility, and/or security deposit assistance at a maximum household limit of $3,000.

“Access to safe, affordable and livable housing is one of our Administration’s top priorities,” said Bottoms. “Beyond the pressing challenges of COVID-19, we aim to ensure that every resident who wants to live in Atlanta is able to do so with dignity. Thank you to United Way of Greater Atlanta for being a partner in providing housing stability to residents as we navigate this now normal.”

Housing instability has been a problem for low-income residents in the City of Atlanta long before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, however, has intensified this experience for Atlanta residents, increasing the risk for foreclosure, eviction, and homelessness.

United Way of Greater Atlanta, the largest United Way in the nation, is partnering with the city to oversee rental assistance.

“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.”

Individuals and families impacted and in need of support will have multiple access points to apply for assistance in both English and Spanish.

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

• Access the client application by visiting www.unitedwayatlanta.org or by clicking here.
• Text the keyword C19-ERA to 898-211 to be directed to the application page.
• Visit http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/
• Call 2-1-1 to speak with a 2-1-1 community connection specialist from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Due to high call volumes, the above listed options are preferred.