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Cobb's Board Approves More COVID Rental Assistance

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Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan Murphy
March 2, 2021

Cobb County’s Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan Murphy thanked the Cobb County Commission Tuesday night minutes after the Board approved the allocation of another $22.8 million in federal Emergency Rental Assistance grants.  These grants are designed to help those impacted by the pandemic stay in their homes while struggling to recover.

This program is separate from the CARES rental and mortgage assistance approved by the board in 2020.  

Here is how those funds can help:

Who is eligible to seek assistance?
An "eligible household" is defined as a renter household in which at least one or more individuals meets the
following criteria:
1. Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs,
or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19;
2. Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and
3. Has a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median.

What can those funds be used for?
Assistance can be provided for rent, rental arrears, utilities and home energy costs, utilities and home energy costs arrears, and other expenses related to housing.

Who will handle applications for the funds?
The same groups who worked with the county on the CARES assistance will also handle this new grant program.  Those groups are:
1. HomeFree-USA,
2. Star-C Corporation, 
3. MUST Ministries, 
4. The Center for Family Resources, and;
5. Sweetwater Mission.

When can I apply?
Those groups are sorting through the new requirements with this program and coming up with applications.  We hope to have them available in the coming days.  We will post the latest when that information is available and keep updates on our COVID Assistance Center page at www.cobbcounty.org/communications/news/cobb-covid-assistance-center
 

Press Contact Info

Ross Cavitt | Cobb County Communications Director | Email | Contact Us | Webpage |