Rent Relief Program Applications Reopening In DeKalb

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — Starting next week, DeKalb County renters can apply for rent and utility assistance once again through the county's newly-revamped Tenant-Landlord Assistance Coalition application process.

County officials first approved the TLAC rent and utility assistance program through a $21 million federal grant in February, and closed applications for the program after 10 days due to "overwhelming demand."

But by mid-June, only a small portion of the funds was in the hands of county residents — about $736,000, or 3.5 percent. Local residents, county commissioners and community advocates called on officials to do more about this delay in administering the money at the DeKalb Board of Commissioners meeting last Tuesday.

Read more: Local Residents, Advocates Push DeKalb To Speed Up Rent Relief

The TLAC program will begin accepting applications and supporting documents online starting next Monday, June 21 at 8:30 a.m. through the Odyssey E-File Georgia process. Instructions and the application portal will be on the TLAC program website at dekalbcountyga.gov/renthelp at 8:30 a.m. next Monday.

Javoyne Hicks, DeKalb County's clerk of state and magistrate courts, said it is imperative for applicants to submit all supporting documents requested in the application categories, including:

• lease agreement
• wage verification
• wage statement
• landlord's name and contact information
• legible utility bills (for utility assistance)

County leaders blame the delay in rolling out the money because of a cybersecurity attack on the TLAC program in late March, which is under investigation by the FBI.

Emails and applications previously sent to program administrators were included on a server that had to be disabled, disconnected and turned over to law enforcement due to the attack, said John Metalski, chief information officer for DeKalb County, during a news conference Monday morning. This caused the delay in administering funds because county officials did not have access to the applications.

Anyone who applied for help from the TLAC program prior to the cybersecurity attack will also be able to check their application status through the same website as those applying for the first time.

"The DeKalb County Tenant-Landlord Assistance [Coalition] program became the victim of an international cyber crime," DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said during the news conference. "The good news is this was a setback, but it did not impede our efforts to continue to provide assistance and support to those who need it in DeKalb County."

Related:

• DeKalb Receives $21M Grant For Rent Relief, Eviction Prevention
• Over 2,000 People Apply For DeKalb's New Rent Relief Program
• DeKalb To Close Applications For Rent Relief Program