Rent Assistance in Georgia

Last checked: November 2026. Benefits Explorer is a directory. We do not provide rent money or decide who gets help, and each program makes its own decisions.

Georgia Rental Assistance, the state's pandemic program, is no longer taking applications. The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) said in April 2026 that it has not accepted any since May 2023, and it warned about scams using the program's name. DCA also says it charges no fees to apply for assistance.

DCA's Emergency Solutions Grant money goes to local governments and nonprofits rather than to households, so prevention help comes through those groups. Its Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is closed, and its Emergency Housing Voucher program ends December 31, 2026.

In metro Atlanta, the options are local and limited. DeKalb County routes rental help, including its HOME-ARP funds, through a Coordinated Entry line, while FreeRent ATL's 2026 grant has closed. Atlanta Legal Aid is clear that its offices cannot help with rental assistance, though they do take eviction cases.

Where to Start in Georgia

DCA Emergency Solutions Grant providers

DCA funds nonprofits, local governments and community action agencies for homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing and shelter. People get help from these funded agencies, not from DCA. DCA lists a homelessness Continuum of Care number for people at risk of losing housing.

Visit website · Phone: 844-249-8369 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

DCA Housing Choice Voucher waiting list

State-run vouchers that pay part of the rent. Georgia.gov and DCA both say the waiting list is closed. Applications are taken only through the DCA Applicant Portal when it opens, and there is no cost to apply. Anyone asking for a fee or offering to move you up the list is running a scam, per DCA.

Visit website · Phone: (470) 802-4707 · Closed when last checked

Georgia Housing Search

A free rental search DCA points tenants to when they need somewhere more affordable. It finds listings and does not pay rent.

Visit website · Phone: 1-877-428-8844 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Local Rent Help in Georgia

HOPE Atlanta (Atlanta)

Serves people who are homeless or being evicted in Atlanta and says it may provide rental assistance to those meeting its criteria, including income at or below 80% of area median income. Expect to need proof of eviction such as court papers or a landlord letter, a lease or utility bill, and proof of income. An online questionnaire is informational only, so you must still work with an intake specialist. The office warns that demand is high and it may not be able to help everyone.

Visit website · Phone: (404) 817-7070 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

DeKalb County Coordinated Entry and HOME-ARP rental assistance (DeKalb County)

The county's line for screening and referral to housing help, including eviction prevention as available. Its $7.8 million HOME-ARP program lists up to 6 months of arrears and up to 24 months of rent subsidy for qualifying households. People at risk of homelessness must have income at or below 30% of area median income and face eviction within 21 days. You must live in DeKalb when you apply, and funds go first-come, first-served, so ask whether money remains.

Visit website · Phone: 404-687-3500 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Hosea Helps Homeless Prevention (Atlanta)

Describes rent and mortgage financial assistance for families who show they can stabilize their home with support, along with rapid rehousing. It gives no amounts or income limits and does not say whether intake is open. Use its Request Services pages to reach staff.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Gateway Center Coordinated Entry (Atlanta)

Connects people who are already homeless to housing resources from 275 Pryor Street SW. Its page does not describe rent or eviction payments, so use it if you have lost your home, not for back rent.

Visit website · Phone: (404) 215-6600 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

FreeRent ATL (Atlanta)

A nonprofit offering up to a year of rent help through an annual grant for working families hit by hardship, and up to six months through year-round partner referrals. Its page, dated October 29, 2026, says 2026 grant applications have closed and anticipates reopening in October 2026 for support in 2027. Sign up for updates or email ATL@freerent.org.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

United Way of the Coastal Empire 211 (Savannah and Chatham County)

Its site points people needing housing help to 211 specialists and an online resource search. It does not describe its own rent payments, so ask what is funded now in Chatham County.

Visit website · Phone: 912-651-7700 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Salvation Army First Stop Homeless Prevention Center (Augusta, Richmond, Columbia, Burke, Wilkes, Jefferson, McDuffie and Glascock counties)

Walk-in help at 1765 Broad Street on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2:30 p.m., or apply at SAHelp.org. The page describes utility help through Project SHARE and no rent amounts, so ask whether rent money is available.

Visit website · Phone: 706-922-8343 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in Georgia?

Georgia calls eviction a dispossessory, and self-help lockouts are illegal. DCA's handbook, revised August 2024, says a landlord must give written notice to pay at least three business days before filing over unpaid rent. After being served, a tenant has seven days to file an answer, and missing that deadline lets the court evict. A tenant may also pay the rent, fees and court costs within those seven days, a defense usable once in 12 months. Either side has seven days to appeal. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Georgia Legal Services Program. Civil legal services for people with low incomes. In Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties, Atlanta Legal Aid Society is the primary provider: call 404-524-5811 for Fulton, 404-669-0233 for Clayton, 770-528-2565 for Cobb, 404-377-0701 for DeKalb or 678-376-4545 for Gwinnett, or apply at atlantalegalaid.org/apply. Visit website · Phone: 1-833-457-7529

This page is general information, not legal advice. Don't ignore a notice or court papers, because eviction deadlines can be short.

Georgia Programs That Have Closed

You may still see these programs online. Check before you spend time on an application.

  • Georgia Rental Assistance (GRA): The state's federally funded rental program. DCA announced it would stop taking new applications on October 28, 2022, and its April 2026 scam alert says no applications have been accepted since May 2023.
  • DeKalb County Integrated Community Care Initiative: A $13 million county program launched December 4, 2024 with Treasury rental assistance funds, reached through the 404-371-NEED hotline. The county's announcement says it expired June 30, 2025.
  • DCA Emergency Housing Voucher Program: A pandemic-era voucher for existing participants that DCA says ends December 31, 2026, with final assistance payments on December 1, 2026. DCA suggests housing navigation and the other resources on its page for tenants losing this voucher.

More Help in Georgia

Want other options? See our full rent assistance guide, including how to spot a scam, or see your options. That form is not an application for rent assistance. If you submit it, Benefits Explorer and its partners may contact you.

Georgia Rent Assistance Questions

Who helps with rental assistance in Atlanta?

HOPE Atlanta at (404) 817-7070 says help depends on criteria and demand, and Hosea Helps describes rent assistance without saying whether intake is open. DeKalb residents should call Coordinated Entry at 404-687-3500. DCA also tells people to call 2-1-1 for other community resources. We could not confirm any open City of Atlanta or Fulton County rent program from a current official page.

Does DeKalb County help with back rent?

It can, as funds allow. The county lists eviction prevention, including overdue rent and utilities, and its HOME-ARP guide lists up to 6 months of arrears for qualifying households. Everyone starts with a screening at 404-687-3500. A prior program, the Integrated Community Care Initiative, has expired.

Is Georgia Rental Assistance still open?

No. DCA says the program has not accepted applications since May 2023. Treat any site or person offering to file a Georgia Rental Assistance application, especially for a fee, as a likely scam.

How long do I have to respond to an eviction in Georgia?

Seven days from service, per DCA's handbook. If the seventh day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Your summons shows the court to contact, and legal aid can advise you.

Rent Assistance in Nearby States

Most programs only help people who live in their state. If you are moving or live near a state line, you can also check:

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