March 9, 2022–8:35 p.m.
STAFF REPORTS
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people found themselves falling behind on their rent.
The United Way of Rome and Floyd County is working with landlords and tenants to help keep families in their homes through its housing access fund, according to Alli Mitchell with the local United Way.
“Next year we are hoping, and we have mentioned this to our landlord association here, to take that money and partner with landlords and partner with tenants who are in trouble and see how we can administer that fund directly,” she said. “That would support both our landlords, who are small business owners here, and the tenants and their families, keeping them together. That will be the next iteration, and that is all in the works right now.”
Mitchell added they are also meeting with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to discuss federal money relief money.
“All of the money that came down to the state that was for housing relief to help keep people in their homes as part of the big relief packages, it has been hard to get that money out because it’s a monster of the process,” she said. “So, what the United Way of Rome and Floyd County can do is step in and be a program partner. We can, on behalf of landlords and tenants, can fill out those very arduous applications and make sure that all of the information and data is together so that the applications have a much better chance of being approved.”
To find out if you qualify, email [email protected] or call the United Way’s Resource Navigator at (706) 622-1990.
