Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an executive order on Monday to provide $3.5 million in additional funding to the nonprofit overseeing the city’s homelessness strategy.
A study in early 2020 found there were about 3,200 homeless individuals in the city of Atlanta, either living on the street or in shelters, though that number may have fluctuated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the mayor’s office, Partners for HOME Inc. will use the additional funds to provide rapid rehousing services for 100 homeless households. The money will also support the retention of 100 low barrier shelter bed operations for Evolution Center. Partners for HOME will use the funds to provide non-congregate shelter hotel operations and street outreach teams as well.
Homelessness prevention advocates have been pushing for more funding from the city amid concerns about Atlanta’s treatment of the unsheltered community. The Atlanta Homeless Union formed in July to demand better medical care, long-term housing, and access to water for the homeless.
The Bottoms administration has been calling attention to how the city and the United Way of Greater Atlanta have invested millions of dollars into housing strategies and supportive services since she entered office in 2018.
Last year, the city worked other Partners for HOME to secure hotels and permanent housing for “over “800 households,” according to the mayor’s office.
A spokesman for the mayor’s office told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the City Council still has to approve the fund allocation through a vote.
Bottoms said in a statement that ending homelessness in the city is among her administration’s “top priorities.”
“Through partnerships and leveraging public and private resources, we have been able to establish a systemic approach to scaling and implementing rehousing solutions for those experiencing homelessness,” Bottoms said. “This funding will also provide access to housing for residents who continue to be financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
About the Author
