In Clayton County, GA, there is a housing crisis where some landlords have not been paid back rent by tenants due to the mandated eviction moratorium in Georgia, specifically Clayton County.
Clayton County, Georgia: Landlord and Tenant Housing Rental Stats
The Clayton County, GA residential population is 297,595 as recorded by the Census Bureau for Clayton County, GA in 2020.
Total housing units for Clayton County, GA are 106,360 (as of 2019). The owner-occupied housing unit rate is 50.30%, with a median value of owner-occupied housing units at $122,100. The median selected monthly owner costs (with a mortgage) is $1,161, and those median selected monthly owner costs (without a mortgage) is $428.
For tenants paying rent, the median gross rent (from 2015 to 2019) has averaged $1,024 in Clayton County, GA.
New home construction in Clayton County, GA saw building permits rise to 954 in 2020.
Overall, Clayton County, GA has a median household income (in 2019 dollars) of $49,460.
How Federal Rental Assistance Works in Clayton County, GA to Help Landlords
For Clayton County, GA landlords, you may think of Clayton County, GA rental assistance as help for renters.
Right now, most federal emergency rental assistance programs accept applications from Clayton County, GA landlords. Where Clayton County, GA renters can apply, they often need the landlord’s help to complete the process and make payments directly to the landlord or property owner in Clayton County, GA.
Nationwide, state and local programs are taking applications from renters and landlords to distribute money from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program in their own communities.
Clayton County, Georgia‘s Emergency Rental Assistance
In Clayton County, GA, the main rental assistance program for helping landlords and tenants is called:
Clayton County, Georgia’s Emergency Rental Assistance
https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/ERAP-CLAYTONCOUNTYGA/Participant
How Do I Apply for Emergency Rental Assistance in Clayton County, GA?
You apply through your Clayton County, GA local emergency rental assistance (ERA) program. Each local program has some flexibility in how they set up policies and procedures to suit the needs of their local community.
For example, in some areas, you can apply for rental assistance yourself. In other areas, landlords need to submit an application first.
What Does Clayton County, Georgia Emergency Rental Assistance Cover?
The federal ERA Program allows Clayton County, GA local programs to cover rent, utilities, and home energy costs. This includes electricity, gas, fuel oil, water and sewer, and trash removal. If your landlord normally pays for utilities or home energy costs, these are counted as part of your rent.
Clayton County, GA rental assistance may also cover:
• Reasonable late fees (if not included in your rental or utility debt)
• Internet service to your home
• Moving expenses and other rental-related fees (such as security deposits, application fees, or screening fees) for families who have to move
Some programs may also provide housing counseling, case management, legal representation, and other housing stability services.
Can I Get Help with The Cost of Moving to a New Home in Clayton County, GA?
The federal ERA Program allows local programs to help with moving expenses, security deposits, rental applications or screening fees.
How Much Clayton County, GA Financial Help Can I Get?
The federal ERA Program allows local programs to receive up to 18 months of help with rent, including overdue rent, back to March 13, 2020, if the money is available.
If you have overdue rent, the money must go toward rent that you owe, first. Clayton County, GA local programs may be able to help with future rent. In addition, you may get help with your future rent payments, up to 3 months at a time. But this depends on your local program.
Ask your Clayton County, GA local program about the total amount of help available to you.
Do I Have to Be Behind on Rent to Get Help in Clayton County, GA?
You don’t have to be behind on rent to get assistance. Some programs offer help with future rent. However, if you have overdue rent, the money you get must go toward rent that you owe before it can be used for future rent.
Can Clayton County, GA Rental Assistance Cover the Cost of a Hotel or Motel Room?
Yes. If your household is eligible for emergency rental assistance, local programs may cover the cost of a Georgia hotel or motel room if:
• You had to move out of your home and you don’t have a permanent home elsewhere
• You can provide hotel or motel bills or other evidence of your stay, and
• Your local program follows the rules for this emergency rental assistance
If emergency rental assistance is not available to help cover these costs, you can also ask for help under the HUD Emergency Solutions Grant program. Visit Benefits.gov for more information about Emergency Solutions Grants. You may also be able to find help at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Am I Eligible for Emergency Rental Assistance in Clayton County, Georgia?
To be eligible for help covering your rent, you must have an agreement to pay rent for your home or mobile home lot. You don’t necessarily need to have a signed lease, and your home could be an apartment, house, mobile home, or other place.
These three statements also need to be true:
1. At least one member of your household has:
• Qualified for unemployment or should qualify
• Lost income
• Owed large expenses, OR
• Had other financial hardships
2. Your household income is below a certain amount, based on where you live
3. At least one member of your household is experiencing housing instability, which means they are at risk of becoming homeless or would have trouble finding a stable place to live
Where Can I Find Out If My Household Qualifies for Clayton County, GA Rental Help?
Eligibility is based on a renter household’s financial situation and housing needs. If you’re a landlord, eligibility is based on your tenant’s household needs.
Federal rules allow local rental assistance programs to cover rent or utilities for low-income families. This generally includes renter households with income up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with adjustments for family size.
Local emergency rental assistance programs must prioritize applications for renter households with income below 50% of the AMI and households with a worker who has been unemployed for at least 90 days before applying. This means that your Clayton County, GA local program can set lower income limits to make sure the neediest households get help first. Your local program should let you know how their system for prioritizing applications works.
I Own My Home in Clayton County, GA. Can I Get Help to Cover My Mortgage, Utility, or Energy Costs?
Money from the federal ERA Program is for renters only. But money from the Homeowner Assistance Fund created under the American Rescue Plan Act may also be available. If you’re experiencing hardship as a homeowner, visit our Help for homeowners page to learn about your options.
How Can I Show That I Am Eligible in Clayton County, Georgia?
Eligibility is based on a Clayton County, GA renter household’s financial situation and housing needs.
When you apply for emergency rental help, you will be asked to show that your income is eligible and that you’re experiencing housing instability. If you’re a Clayton County, GA landlord, eligibility is based on your tenant’s household needs, and you’ll be asked to show that your tenant’s household is eligible for assistance.
You must sign a written statement that the information in your application is correct and complete, and that you will use the emergency rental assistance for the costs it is meant to cover.
What Kind of Proof Can I Use to Show My Income in Clayton County, GA?
Clayton County, GA local programs have different requirements. They may ask you for a written statement. Or they can ask you to show your income with other documents (for example, unemployment benefits documents, pay stubs, tax documents, a statement from an employer, etc.).
If it’s hard for you to show income or job loss, or if you have a special situation, Clayton County, GA local programs may let you write out your own statement about your income.
• If your Clayton County, GA household has no income, or if your employer’s offices have closed, it may be difficult to prove your household income.
• If you have a disability, don’t have access to technology, or have other special needs, a Clayton County, GA local program may be flexible about the proof they require.
If they do rely on your written statement, the Clayton County, GA program you apply to needs to review your household income again every three months to make sure you remain eligible.
• Clayton County, GA local programs might also rely on a caseworker or other professional who knows about your situation to certify that your income qualifies for emergency rental assistance.
• Clayton County, GA programs have to make sure they are complying with their own eligibility policies and procedures.
• They must also have reasonable procedures in place to prevent fraud.
What Can I Use to Show Clayton County, GA Housing Instability?
To show Clayton County, GA housing instability, you may need to sign a written statement. You might also be asked to show:
• A past due utility or rent bill or Georgia eviction notice.
• Proof that you live in Clayton County, GA unsafe or unhealthy living conditions.
• Other proof that the Clayton County, GA program asks you for.
Clayton County, GA programs can make their own rules for determining if you’re living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions and what proof to accept.
How Can I Show Where I Live and How Much Rent I Agreed to Pay in Clayton County, GA?
When you apply for emergency Clayton County, GA rental help, be ready to show an agreement signed by you and your Clayton County, GA landlord that shows where you live and your rental payment amount.
If you don’t have a signed Clayton County, GA rental agreement or lease, Clayton County, GA local programs may accept proof of your address and a written statement about your rent, such as:
• Proof that you paid utilities for your Clayton County, GA home or apartment unit (like a water bill)
• A statement from your Clayton County, GA landlord, or
• Other reasonable proof as requested
You may also be able to show your Clayton County, GA rental payment amount with:
• Bank statements
• Check stubs
• Other paperwork that shows regular rent payments, or
• Other reasonable proof as requested
If you give a written statement, Clayton County, GA local programs may require you to certify that you did not receive – and don’t expect to get – help from a different source to cover the same rental costs. For instance, if your rent is subsidized by a federal agency like the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), you can’t get help from your Clayton County, GA local program to cover the federally subsidized portion of your rent. But you can get help to cover the part of the rent that you are responsible for.
How Can I Show That I Owe Money for Utility or Home Energy Costs in Clayton County, GA?
If you apply for help with utilities, be ready to show a bill, invoice, or proof of payment to the utility company or home energy service provider. Clayton County, GA rental assistance can’t be used to cover any utilities and home energy costs that your landlord normally pays for.
Will My Clayton County, Georgia Local Program Send the Rental Assistance to Me or to My Landlord or Utility Provider?
It depends on how your Clayton County, GA local program works.
In some cases, the Clayton County, GA program may contact your landlord or utility provider and ask them to accept Clayton County, GA emergency rental assistance to pay off what you owe. If they do not agree, or if they do not respond within seven days (or within five days, if the program contacts your landlord by phone, text, or e-mail), your Clayton County, GA local program may be able to give the money to you. Then you must use the money to pay the landlord or utility yourself.
In other cases, your Clayton County, GA local program might give you the money right away, without first contacting your landlord. Either way, you must then use the money to pay what you owe.
Starting May 7, 2021, landlords who accept direct payments of future rent are not allowed to evict you for not paying rent during the period covered by the Clayton County, GA rental assistance. When programs make direct payments to landlords to cover back rent, guidance strongly encourages them to prohibit eviction for 30 to 90 days after the period covered by rental assistance.
Clayton County, Georgia Special Living Situations
Find out if Clayton County, GA emergency rental assistance applies to your special situation.
I Was Living Somewhere Else, Earlier in The Pandemic.
It doesn’t matter how long you have been living in your current Clayton County, GA rental home. If you meet the requirements, Clayton County, GA emergency rental assistance is available to help you with housing costs that you cannot afford as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I Receive a Federal Rent Subsidy.
If your Clayton County, GA income has changed, you might qualify for lower rent. Or, you might qualify for a hardship exemption that allows you to skip one or more rent payments. Ask for “income recertification” through your Public Housing Agency (PHA) or landlord. Do this as soon as possible. The change in rent could apply to unpaid rent.
If you receive a federal rent subsidy, such as a Housing Choice Voucher, Project-Based Rental Assistance, or Public Housing, you may still qualify for Clayton County, GA assistance with the rent or utilities that you are responsible for paying.
I Live in a Manufactured or Mobile Home.
If you live in an Clayton County, GA manufactured home or mobile home, you can get rental help. You can also get help with rent for the lot that your home sits on, even if you own your manufactured home. Like other Clayton County, GA renters, you may also qualify for help with utilities or other housing-related expenses.
I Am a Tribal Member Living on Non-Tribal Lands, or a Non-Tribal Member Living on Tribal Lands.
A Tribal member living outside Tribal lands can receive Clayton County, GA emergency rental help funds from their Tribe or Tribally Designated Housing Entity (TDHE), as long as you are not already receiving assistance from another Tribe or TDHE, or from a state or local government.
I Have a “Rent-To-Own” Agreement with My Landlord.
You can get Clayton County, GA emergency rental help even if you have a “rent-to-own” agreement with your landlord, as long as:
• You haven’t signed or co-signed a mortgage for the Clayton County, GA property that you are renting-to-own
• You haven’t exercised an option to purchase the Clayton County, GA property
I Live in a Houseboat.
Clayton County, GA rental assistance can also be used to cover mooring fees.
Are You a Landlord or Rental Property Owner in Clayton County, Georgia?
Have You Suffered Lost Rental Income from the Eviction Moratorium in Clayton County, Georgia?
Clayton County, Georgia Rental Property Landlords: How to Increase Your Existing SBA EIDL Loan
Did you already receive a Georgia SBA EIDL Loan for your Clayton County Rental Properties?
We can assist Landlords and Investment Property Owners in requesting additional SBA EIDL loan funds through the increase request and loan modification process in Clayton County, GA.
Landlords and Property Owners in Clayton County, GA can schedule a free Disaster Loan Consultation to see if we may be able to help your Rental Property Management Business with the SBA Increase Request Process in Clayton County, GA.
Clayton County, Georgia Landlords: How to Overcome an SBA EIDL Loan Denial
Has your Georgia SBA EIDL loan been denied for your Clayton County, GA rental property?
We can assist you in filing for an SBA EIDL loan reconsideration appeal for your Rental Property Entities and Investment Property Portfolio in Clayton County, GA.
Landlords and Property Owners in Georgia can schedule a free Disaster Loan Consultation to see if we may be able to help your Rental Property Management Business with the SBA Loan Reconsideration Process in Clayton County, GA.
If you are a Georgia Renter or Tenant, forward this article to your Landlord in Clayton County, GA.
Cover Image Credit: 123RF.com / Feverpitched / Disaster Loan Advisors.