ATLANTA — Within a week of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to allow cities to ticket people for sleeping outside, an additional $2 million is being given toward Atlanta's eviction diversion program.
The Atlanta City Council approved legislation on Monday, which was sponsored by councilmember Andrea Boone on behalf of Mayor Andre Dickens' administration. The legislation authorizes a $2 million donation to the nonprofit Star-C Corporation to continue assisting low-income families at risk of displacement.
Since the eviction diversion program was launched, more than $1.56 million of the initial $2 million to jumpstart the initiative has been used, according to a release. This has helped prevent the displacement of more than 220 families, and more than 500 additional households have already applied for assistance through this program, the release said.
According to the city, the additional $2 million will help efforts in preventing the displacement of these families -- and, in some cases, prevent them from experiencing homelessness.
Mayor Dickens emphasized this point by saying that in just a few months, they have seen hundreds of families benefit from the eviction prevention program. And now, after Monday, more families will be able to be helped.
"Atlanta families are feeling the burden of rising housing costs, especially those in low-income and underserved communities," Dickens said. "When you are already challenged financially, you are only one bad day or one serious health emergency from not being able to pay your rent or mortgage."
The approved legislation cites that more than half of renters in the City of Atlanta pay more than 30% of their income toward housing. It also mentions that by the end of 2023, five counties in metro Atlanta reported over 144,000 eviction filings. This can cause hurdles to residents as many landlords may not accept tenants with histories of eviction filings, the resolution stated.
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Minimizing these eviction filings for low-income residents is a top priority to ensure residents are eligible to occupy new affordable housing being produced, the resolution wrote.
According to Star-C's website, the nonprofit will help cover rent for those experiencing hardships like income reduction or emergencies relating to critical life requirements. It also mentioned that it processes payment for rental households earning at or below 60% of the area median income, which it said is approximately $43,000 for a one-person household or $62,000 for a household of four living in city limits.
In addition to the eviction diversion program, the city has also launched a one-stop shop for residents seeking affordable housing resources. This is called the Housing Help Center, which works to connect residents with properties offering income-restricted housing. The center also provides a comprehensive list of other housing resources, access to legal counsel and helps residents report violations of the city's housing code, according to a release.
The Dickens Administration has also offered programs by partnering with Invest Atlanta to assist the city's legacy residents with health and safety repairs to critical systems in their homes.
To learn more about the Housing Help Center, click here.
