RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Please monitor this page for new information. The date will be posted here well in advance with instructions so that you can prepare.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide a time frame. The need for this program greatly outweighs the resources available. There is a limited amount of funding available, and we unfortunately cannot move forward with each new applicant immediately due to budget constraints.

EPI is currently expected to last until September 2025.

If you are already on our waitlist, the EPI team will contact you to complete an intake and let you know if you are eligible for the program. If you are, your case will be assigned to a navigator. We cannot guarantee a timeframe for when your assigned navigator will be able to move forward with your particular case. Once your navigator contacts you, they will request documents from you. If they receive all necessary documents and information promptly, they will submit an application to DCA with you. Once your application is submitted, it is in DCA’s hands. DCA makes all decisions on approval or denial of applications. If you are approved, DCA will pay the money to your landlord, or in some cases, to you directly. Atlanta Legal Aid does not handle any of the funds and does not make any of the decisions on applications. Our role is to walk you through the process and help you apply.

On March 11, 2024, DCA stopped processing all recertifications. This means that if you applied before that date and were told that you had a certain number of months remaining, that is unfortunately no longer the case. Anyone who did not recertify for more assistance or who was not eligible to recertify for more assistance yet as of March 11 will not be able to receive any additional funding under this program, even if they have not used all 18 months of potential eligibility. At this time, you can apply for your rental arrears and possibly up to 3 months of future rent, depending on how many months you have used already. No one can receive more than 3 months of future rent anymore.

If you have already submitted an application to DCA with the help of Legal Aid, you cannot submit another one. DCA will consider that a duplicate application. However, if you applied several years ago without Legal Aid, you may be able to submit a new one with our help.

If DCA denies your application for assistance, you have the right to file an appeal by email within 14 days of your denial. Your navigator will discuss this process with you. If DCA denies your appeal, there is unfortunately no further recourse. All appeal decisions are final.

If you leave your home before the marshals come to legally evict you, DCA will consider this to be leaving “voluntarily,” and NOT being evicted. If you reach an agreement with your landlord in court to leave by a certain day and you leave by that date, DCA will consider you to have left voluntarily. This means that they will likely not assist you with moving expenses such as: hotel, storage unit, or moving truck. The decision of whether and when to leave is a difficult decision that is specific to each person. You should speak with an attorney before deciding what to do.

If you are already on our waitlist, EPI considers a case to be an emergency once your court date has been scheduled. This means that your case will be prioritized if you: know when you have to go to court, have already been to court, have already received a writ of possession, or if you have already been evicted. If you do not have a court date yet, please let us know when you receive one so that we can escalate your case. We unfortunately cannot guarantee a time frame for assistance, even for emergency cases. However, we will contact you sooner if your case is in emergency status.

This means that the program where tenants could apply for assistance directly with DCA has ended. Instead, tenants must apply through Atlanta Legal Aid or the Georgia Legal Services Program, depending on what county they live in. To receive help from DCA, one of these agencies must help you through the process.

If you have been evicted from your home by the marshals, DCA may be able to assist you with “other expenses,” including: a moving truck, a storage unit, and/or a hotel stay. DCA cannot reimburse you for money you have spent on these items. You can submit a quote for any of these items, and if approved, DCA can send you the money so that you can book the reservation. You then must upload receipts to DCA to show that you used the money for that purpose.

You must attempt to give the payment to your landlord or risk severe penalties. Your landlord is not required to participate in the program or accept the funds if they would rather evict you. If your landlord refuses to accept payment, you should document proof of that. You can then use the funds to secure other housing.

That is fine, as long as you report it to DCA in your application. DCA cannot approve you for assistance for a month in which you’ve already received assistance from somewhere else.

DCA can pay for rental and utility arrears, future rent and utilities, late fees up to 8% of the total arrears, and in some cases: moving expenses and security deposit for a new home.

DCA will not pay court costs or attorney fees. DCA will not pay late fees that are greater than 8% of the total amount of arrears that you owe. If your landlord does not waive these fees, you are responsible to pay any fees that DCA does not cover.