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The Georgia Rental Assistance Program was created as a countermeasure to COVID-19. Thanks to the program, eligible households could receive enough rental assistance during times of financial hardship, which benefited both landlords and tenants.
Each ERAP has different guidelines and benefits for people, so it's important for you to check how the program works in your area. If you're interested in learning how the Georgia Rental Assistance Program works, this page has all the information you need.
Disclaimer: At the time of writing this guide, the state of Georgia isn't accepting new tenant applications. Pending requests, however, are being reviewed in the order they were received. The information mentioned in this guide could change due to how uncertain these economic events are. We recommend you check Georgia's official ERAP portal to stay updated with the latest information. Those who have been offered a "GRA application" in exchange for a fee are encouraged to report fraud.
What Is ERAP in Georgia?
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) was created to provide financial assistance to people who couldn't afford to pay rent, utilities, or other housing expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this state, the program was established by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs back in March 2021.
Those eligible for the program could receive the following benefits:
- Up to 18 months of past due/future rental coverage
- Assistance to pay for utilities.
How Does ERAP Work in Georgia?
Georgia received approximately $989 million from the U.S. Treasury to provide financial relief to eligible individuals.
If your application got approved, the funds received were used to pay for rental and utility payments, as well as other expenses.
The money would go directly to the landlord or service provider on the tenant's behalf.
What's the Difference Between ERAP1 and ERAP2?
ERAP1 was the first phase of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, created by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. On the other hand, ERAP2 was the second phase, approved by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Even though both phases had similar goals of providing financial assistance, ERAP2 offered further financial assistance and housing stability services to eligible applicants.
How Does ERAP Benefit Landlords in Georgia?
ERAP helped tenants cover rent and utility payments, which in turn helped landlords get their money in time.
Collaborating to get the application approved would mean less financial hardship for both parties, which would help ease any emotional burden on them.
What Is the Role of the Landlord in the Georgia ERAP?
The landlord's role in this process is to work with the tenant to ensure that all the information submitted in the application is current and legitimate.
Who Is Eligible for ERAP in Georgia?
Here are the eligibility requirements for ERAP in Georgia:
- The household income can't be over 80% of the area median income (AMI).
- The renter/applicant must be at risk of experiencing housing instability or homelessness.
- The renter/applicant should have incurred significant costs, experienced a significant reduction in income, or gone through other financial hardship related directly or indirectly to COVID-19.
Can Tenants That Are Already on Government Housing Plans Apply to ERAP in Georgia?
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs has two housing plans available for people. One of them is the Housing Choice Voucher Program (also known as Section 8), and the other one is the Georgia Rental Assistance Program (GRA).
Eligible people could apply to both of these at the time to receive monetary assistance. At the time of writing, only the HCV program is available for new applicants.
How to Apply for ERAP in Georgia
Even though Georgia isn't currently accepting new applications, it's important to know more about the process just in case they open again.
First, you would need to check your local County Emergency Rental Assistance Program portal to verify if it's accepting applications. Henry County, for example, didn't have the same portal as Clayton County.
Then, you would have to follow these steps:
- Gather the necessary documents for the landlord and tenant (more information here). Some of these documents include state identifications, income documentation, past due rent notices/bills, copies of the lease agreement, evidence of unit ownership, evidence of unemployment eligibility, banking information, etc.
- Register and submit your application online.
- Check the status of your application from time to time.
- Receive the money.
How the ERAP Can Improve Communication with Your Tenant
ERAP offered many benefits on top of financial assistance. Thanks to these programs, landlords and tenants could work toward more effective and friendly communication throughout the lease period.
The improved communication, in turn, offered more benefits, including:
- Increased tenant retention
- Better reputation for the landlord
- Faster resolution of disputes
- Better collaboration environment
Discover DoorLoop and Its Extensive List of Resources for Landlords and Property Managers
There's a lot of information to cover about the rental market, so we understand if it gets a little confusing sometimes.
We created DoorLoop as a tool to give you access to any resources you may need within a few clicks or taps. Whether you need information about Georgia's (or any other state's) market, rest assured you'll find everything on this platform.
If you want to take your experience one step further, we recommend you request a DoorLoop demo today. There, you'll be able to discover all of the amazing features it has available, such as:
- Collecting rent automatically
- Communicating with your tenant safely
- Managing maintenance requests online
- Monitoring your rental portfolio
Bottom Line - Make the Most Out of Your Rental Experience
All landlords and property managers deserve to have the best tools to manage their portfolios seamlessly. With the help of platforms like DoorLoop, you can take care of virtually any factor of your rental experience from within the same platform.
It doesn't matter if you're at home or outside, you can access DoorLoop through your favorite device and stay on track with anything important.
Feel free to request a demo for DoorLoop today, or visit its website to learn more about the Georgia rental market!
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