DeKalb County rental assistance program closed to applicants

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Renters and landlords in DeKalb County can no longer apply for its rental assistance program.

The application closed Wednesday because the funds can only be distributed to so many people.

In February, FOX 5 reported DeKalb County closed its rental assistance program because 3,000 people applied within hours of the application's opening. Had all 3,000 initial applicants been approved, the funds would've been depleted immediately, county leaders said at the time. Nine months later, the county said they're forced to regroup again, as they ask for more funding from the state.

Stephanie Joseph owns a few residential properties in DeKalb County. She said if it weren't for the county's renter-landlord assistance program, at least one of her tenants wouldn't have stayed afloat.

"I depleted the reserves I have for my properties too because when I used the money for repairs I had nothing," she said.

She said she and her tenant filled out the application together and the approval significantly lightened their loads.

"Obviously some parts of the economy are doing well but some families are still struggling," DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said.

There were 5,009 pending applications Wednesday, all vying for some of what's left of the $21.6 million set aside for the Tenant-Landlord assistance coalition.

Thurmond said only a few hundred of those 5,000 families will receive the remaining funds.

More than 2,400 DeKalb County families have received rental assistance to date but Thurmond fears some will quite literally be left out in the cold this holiday season without additional funding from the state.

The program application has closed and there's no word on exactly what's next.

CEO Thurmond said it's not clear how long it'll take to negotiate more funding from the state, but he is optimistic the rental assistance program will once again re-open. The county does partner with several non-profits that are dedicated to helping families stay afloat.

Those nonprofit tenants and landlords in need should read out to are:

1. International Rescue Committee in Atlanta

2. Latin America Association

3. New Life Industries 

4. Urban League for Greater Atlanta

5 Partnership for Community Action

WATCH: FOX 5 NEWS LIVE COVERAGE

_____

GET BREAKING NEWS EMAIL ALERTS FROM FOX 5

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 5 ATLANTA APP FOR BREAKING NEWS AND WEATHER ALERTS