Emergency Rental Assistance Funding Provided To Forsyth County

FORSYTH COUNTY, GA — The Forsyth County Rent and Utility Relief Program has been established to provide short-term assistance for renters that can document income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding is made available through a grant from the U.S. Department of Treasury and became available on Monday.

Forsyth County will provide rent and utility assistance for qualifying households. Households meeting all the following criteria will be eligible for assistance:

• Qualifies for unemployment benefits or has experienced a reduction in household income,
  incurred significant costs or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to COVID-19
• Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability
• Has a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median income, with priority given to
  • 1) households below 50 percent of the AMI or
  • 2) households with one or more individuals who have been unemployed 90 days or longer at the time of application

To apply or get more information on the Rent and Utility Relief Program, eligible residents are
encouraged to contact the following organizations directly:

• United Way of Forsyth County, 240 Elm St.
  • 770-781-4110
  • erap@unitedwayforsyth.com
• The Place of Forsyth County, Inc, 2550 The Place Circle
  • 770-887-1098
  • Info@theplaceofforsyth.org

Additionally, a Forsyth County call center will also available, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, by calling 678-273-2972 to connect residents to partner organizations for application processing and to provide additional information in the following languages:

• Simple Chinese
• Spanish
• Korean
• Hindi

Information on the program in English, Simple Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Hindi can be found online.

“We strongly encourage those that are in need of assistance of paying their rent or utilities during the pandemic to reach out through this program,” Forsyth County Manager Kevin Tanner said.

A total of $7.35 million in grant funds for eligible Forsyth County residents is made possible through the U.S. Treasury’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021.