FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Starting Monday, Fulton County residents will be able to apply for as much as $1,500 a month in emergency rental and utility assistance.
The Fulton County Board of Commissioners adopted the plan to help address COVID-19 hardships.
“This was right on time, because people are hurting,” said Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman,
“Our staff has been working around the clock to get the program up and running. Too many families have had to choose between paying for medicine and food or keeping a roof over their heads. That to me, is just unacceptable in a civilized society.”
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The funds are specifically for Fulton County residents who live outside the City of Atlanta are in desperate need of help. The city has its own allocation from the federal government.
Eligible assistance includes payments for rent, rental arrears and utilities due to hardship because of the pandemic.
Renters must meet specific guidelines outlined by the federal government. People facing unemployment for 90 days or more and residents whose incomes dropped by 50% will have first priority.
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The online application process begins on March 1.
Rental assistance will be allocated up to $1,300 per month for up to six months and utility assistance will be up to $200 per month for up to six months.
Based on the county’s analysis, the number of potential households eligible to receive rental assistance is approximately 2,500, and approximately 1,100 households are eligible to receive utility assistance.
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Payments will be made directly to landlords and/or utility companies, not to individual residents.
“While this only applies to renters, I am working with staff and other officials to find out how we can also help our homeowners who need help saving their homes from delinquency and foreclosure,” Khadijah said.
For more information visit www.fultoncountyga.gov/renthelp or call 833-716-2223.
