$40M In Rental Assistance Could Be Coming To Cobb County

COBB COUNTY, GA — Cobb County commissioners have requested an additional $40 million in federal rent assistance money, which would more than double what the county has already spent on housing since the pandemic began in March 2020.

Commissioners passed a resolution at last Tuesday's Board of Commissioners meeting seeking acceptance of the $40 million in federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds from the state Department of Community Affairs.

This request must be approved by Gov. Brian Kemp and DCA officials before the county can receive it. If Kemp approves the transfer of the $40 million to Cobb, commissioners would have to vote on it again to distribute the money, which has to be spent by Sept. 30.

However, the state DCA has struggled to give out rental assistance dollars despite the consistent demand, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. As of late November, less than 15 percent of the $989 million given to the state for rental assistance had actually made it to renters.

In contrast, Cobb County has spent nearly all of the money it's received for rental assistance to date, totaling about $39 million, with another $13.8 million expected from the U.S. Treasury in the future. County officials said they do not know when the $13.8 million will be made available or distributed.

Cobb County government has partnered with area nonprofits to process applications and distribute the funds. Cobb County’s Magistrate Court, where eviction cases are processed, integrated nonprofits into courtroom operations to help those unaware of the programs get access to the funds.

“With the latest surge in COVID cases, we know the need is still very much there,” Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said in a news release. “Anything we can do to help keep people in their homes will help give those residents a sense of security and help slow down the spread of the omicron variant in our community.”

The latest information will be made available on the county’s social media sites and at www.cobbcounty.org/ERA. In the meantime, the county's nonprofit partners and the Magistrate Court are sending applicants to the state system where money remains available.

Visit georgiarentalassistance.ga.gov for details on how to apply through the state.