Fulton County revives $1.2 million rental assistance program with Urban League for families in need
Fulton County is reviving a program that provides rental assistance to families in need. The county is partnering with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta to reach residents facing housing instability.
The program, called Hope to Home, will use $1.2 million in federal funding to help eligible residents pay a portion of their rent. Officials said the goal is to provide greater housing stability and help participants become more independent.
Johnette Brown is the senior director of the Urban League's Urban Center for Financial Empowerment, Housing and Wealth Building in Atlanta. She said the need for housing support has grown during her 15 years with the organization.
"With the economic hardships that we're seeing now, people are really in need of a step up," Brown said.
Fulton County selected the Urban League to administer the rental assistance program. The county launched the program in 2019 using funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help residents access affordable housing. The program paused after 2023.
"This is not Section 8, or what they consider Section 8, the voucher program," Brown said. "This is actually a program that's going to subsidize a portion of rent to assist individuals, help them sustain and pivot into long-term wealth."
According to the agreement, applicants must live in Fulton County but outside Atlanta city limits. They must also be experiencing housing instability and meet HUD's income requirements, typically earning no more than 80% of the area median income.
"It's extremely important because now what we find is working individuals — what is typically called the middle-class poor — just can't seem to make it over that hump for what's actually needed to build that long-term wealth," Brown said. "So this is crucial."
The Fulton County Board of Commissioners approved the agreement with the Urban League as part of its consent agenda Wednesday. The Urban League said applications will open soon and is encouraging residents to determine whether they qualify.
Accuracy check: The edited story preserves the program's funding, history, eligibility requirements and approval status. It does not state that applications are open or guarantee that applicants will receive assistance.
