Quick answer
Georgia has no open emergency rental assistance program. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs closed the Georgia Rental Assistance Program to new applications in late October 2022 after committing more than $830 million, and the U.S. Treasury states that the ERA2 period of performance ended September 30, 2025. For rent help today: dial 211 for county and charity funds with money this month, go through coordinated entry for HUD-funded homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing, apply for a Housing Choice Voucher through DCA or your local housing authority, and use TANF (families), SNAP, and LIHEAP to free up cash. In metro Atlanta, county governments and the City of Atlanta run their own eviction-prevention funds. Applying is free.
Key facts
- GRA closed to new applications in October 2022; the federal ERA program that funded it ended in 2025; no statewide successor exists.
- What is open: county and city eviction-prevention funds (mainly metro Atlanta), HUD Emergency Solutions Grants prevention through nonprofits, charities, and Housing Choice Vouchers.
- TANF in Georgia: maximum $280 a month for a family of three; work and child-support cooperation required.
- LIHEAP: heating help typically opens in early December for people 65+ and medically homebound households and in January for everyone else, through community action agencies.
- No real program charges a fee to apply.
Table of contents
- Is the emergency rental assistance program in Georgia still open?
- What rent help exists in Georgia now?
- Where do metro Atlanta renters find help?
- How do TANF, SNAP, and LIHEAP free up money for rent?
- What if I already have an eviction notice?
- How do I apply, step by step?
- Related guides
- Frequently asked questions
Is the emergency rental assistance program in Georgia still open?
No. The Georgia Rental Assistance Program was the state’s pandemic ERA program, run by DCA with Treasury funds; in late October 2022 DCA announced it was no longer accepting new applications after expending and committing more than $830 million, as Georgia Public Broadcasting reported at the time. The federal program itself is finished: the U.S. Treasury states that the ERA2 period of performance ended September 30, 2025, on its Emergency Rental Assistance page. The Georgia General Assembly has not funded a state replacement.
Watch out: sites that still offer a “Georgia emergency rental assistance application” and charge a fee are scams. DCA, 211, and the agencies below never charge.
What rent help exists in Georgia now?
| Type of help | What it pays | Who runs it | How fast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) | Ongoing subsidy; you pay about 30% of income | DCA in 149 counties; Atlanta, Fulton, DeKalb, and other local housing authorities elsewhere | Waiting lists, often closed or years long |
| Homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing (ESG) | Short-term rent, arrears, deposits, move-in costs | Nonprofits funded through DCA and metro Atlanta continuums of care, via coordinated entry | Varies; start with 211 |
| County and city eviction-prevention funds | One-time rent or arrears, often capped at a few months | Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, City of Atlanta, and others, when funded | Intake days; funds run out |
| Charity rent funds | One-time payment to the landlord, often a few hundred dollars | Salvation Army, Catholic Charities Atlanta, St. Vincent de Paul Georgia, churches | Days, after an interview with lease and notice |
HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grants program funds street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, and data systems through states and cities that pass money to nonprofits, according to HUD Exchange. In Georgia, DCA distributes the state share and large cities and counties receive their own; Georgia 211 knows the intake point for your county.
Where do metro Atlanta renters find help?
Most of Georgia’s remaining rent money sits with county governments and nonprofits in metro Atlanta, each with its own budget and intake days. In general: Fulton County and the City of Atlanta fund eviction-prevention and legal help through nonprofit partners; DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton counties run or fund emergency assistance programs through their community services or human services departments; and United Way of Greater Atlanta’s 211 keeps the live list, including which programs have money this month. Because budgets are small, programs open and close quickly; call 211 the same day you receive a notice, and ask about court-based help, since several metro counties pair rent funds with eviction diversion at the magistrate court.
How do TANF, SNAP, and LIHEAP free up money for rent?
- TANF. Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services describes TANF as the monthly cash assistance program, with an employment services component, for low-income families with children under 18, on its TANF page; the maximum benefit for a family of three is $280 a month, per the National Center for Children in Poverty’s 2025–26 Georgia profile. Apply at Georgia Gateway.
- SNAP. From Oct. 1, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2027, up to $306 a month for one person and $1,023 for four; estimate with our SNAP calculator and apply at Georgia Gateway.
- LIHEAP. Georgia delivers energy assistance through community action agencies; heating help typically opens in early December for people 65 and older and medically homebound households, and in January for everyone else, until funds run out, with cooling help in summer. Find your agency through EnergyHelp.us or 1-866-674-6327. LIHEAP never charges a fee.
What if I already have an eviction notice?
- Answer the dispossessory affidavit within 7 days of being served; Georgia evictions move fast and a missed answer means a default judgment.
- Call legal aid: Atlanta Legal Aid, Georgia Legal Services, and court eviction diversion programs represent low-income tenants at no cost; ask 211.
- Get the landlord’s written agreement to accept a payment and dismiss the case; agencies and charities pay faster with it.
- Bring documents: lease, notice or court papers, ID, proof of income, and the landlord’s contact details.
How do I apply, step by step?
- Dial 211 and ask for every open rent fund in your county: county programs, charities, coordinated entry, and legal aid.
- Apply for a Housing Choice Voucher with DCA (if your county is in its area) and every local housing authority nearby, whenever a list opens.
- Apply at Georgia Gateway for TANF (families), SNAP, and Medicaid.
- Apply for LIHEAP at your community action agency when your window opens.
Applying is free. DCA, DFCS, housing authorities, community action agencies, 211, charities, and legal aid never charge to apply.
For more specifics, see our guides on the Georgia rent relief program and emergency rent relief by state.
Related guides
- Programs that help pay rent
- Immediate hotel vouchers for people who are homeless
- Hardship grants for individuals
- Housing help: vouchers, affordable housing, and paths to owning
Frequently asked questions
Is the emergency rental assistance program in Georgia still accepting applications?
No. The Georgia Rental Assistance Program closed to new applications in October 2022, and the federal ERA funding behind it ended in 2025. No statewide program has replaced it.
Who do I call for emergency rent help in Georgia?
Dial 211. It lists county eviction-prevention funds, charities, coordinated entry for HUD-funded prevention, and legal aid, and knows which programs have money this month.
Does Georgia have any ongoing rent assistance?
Only Housing Choice Vouchers through DCA or local housing authorities, which have long or closed waiting lists. Other help is one-time.
How much is TANF in Georgia?
The maximum for a family of three is $280 a month. It is for low-income families with children and requires work participation and child support cooperation.
Can undocumented tenants get rent help in Georgia?
Charities and many HUD Emergency Solutions Grants programs help regardless of status; Housing Choice Vouchers and TANF require eligible immigration status for at least one household member. Ask 211 which local programs apply.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on October 25, 2026. If a source and this page ever disagree, follow the source.
- U.S. Treasury: Emergency Rental Assistance program status
- Georgia Public Broadcasting: Georgia Rental Assistance Program closed to new applications, quoting DCA
- Georgia DFCS: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- National Center for Children in Poverty: TANF 2025–26 profile, Georgia (maximum benefit)
- HUD Exchange: Emergency Solutions Grants program requirements
- EnergyHelp.us: LIHEAP office search and hotline (HHS)
- USDA FNS: SNAP cost-of-living adjustments, FY 2027 tables
- 211.org: find your local 211
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and not an application. Program funding changes; confirm with the agency that runs the program. National Relief Program is an independent website, not a government agency.
Before you apply: program rules, amounts, and deadlines change. Always confirm details with the official agency or program administrator. Applying for government benefits is free.
National Relief Program is an independent guide, not a government agency. Spotted an error? Email support@nationalreliefprogram.org.
