Cobb COVID-19 Rental Assistance Applications Open April 1

COBB COUNTY, GA — Cobb County residents struggling financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic can soon apply for help making rent and utility payments.

Cobb County is opening applications for its new $22.8 million COVID-19 rent assistance program April 1, just over a month after Cobb commissioners gave the go-ahead for the county to implement the program.

Five nonprofits will be administering the funds for the program: Sweetwater Mission, HomeFree-USA (Cobb HomeSavers), MUST Ministries, Center for Family Resources and Star-C Programs. Each of the nonprofits have helped distribute rent relief funds for the county throughout the pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's eviction moratorium was set to expire March 31, but the agency announced Monday that the deadline is now extended to June 30. At a county forum last week, Cobb Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan Murphy said the court had about 2,000 pending eviction cases.

An "eligible household" to apply for the program is defined as a renter household in which at least one or more people meets the following criteria:

• Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19;
• Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and
• Has a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median.

For more information and to apply on April 1, visit the Cobb County rent assistance website.

RELATED: Cobb Commissioners Approve $23M Federal Grant For Rent Relief