Atlanta City Council approves $2M for eviction diversion program

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Atlanta City Hall

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The Atlanta City Council approved legislation at Monday’s meeting to donate $2 million to the city’s eviction diversion program. 

Councilmember Andrea L. Boone sponsored the legislation from Mayor Andre Dickens’ office. The $2 million donation will go to the nonprofit Star C Corporation to continue assisting low-income families at risk of losing their apartments or homes. 

“Atlanta families are feeling the burden of rising housing costs, especially those in low-income and underserved communities. 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,” Dickens said in a statement after the vote. “In just a matter of months, we have seen hundreds of families benefit from the eviction prevention program, and hundreds more have applied and are waiting for assistance.”

Since the launch of the program, more than $1.56 million of the initial $2 million to jumpstart the initiative has been expended, preventing the eviction of more than 220 families. 

More than 500 additional households have already applied for assistance through this program, according to the city.

The additional $2 million will assist efforts to continue preventing the displacement of families—and in some cases, preventing these families from experiencing homelessness.

Dickens said following last week’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that allows cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public, the funding is more crucial than ever. “Falling on hard times is not a crime,” Dickens said. 

In addition to the eviction diversion program, the city launched the Housing Help Center—a one-stop shop for residents seeking affordable housing resources. While connecting residents with properties offering income-restricted housing, the center will also provide a comprehensive list of other housing resources and access to legal counsel. 

The center also helps residents report violations of the city’s housing code so officials can take action.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Rough Draft Atlanta.