City of Dalton receives federal funds to help those who need rental assistance because of COVID-19

Published 3:03 pm Monday, January 4, 2021

DALTON, Ga. — The $900 billion COVID-19 relief package recently signed into law by President Donald Trump extends a federal moratorium on evictions to Jan. 31. That had been scheduled to expire Thursday.

Many analysts worry about what will happen when the eviction moratorium eventually is allowed to lapse. The Aspen Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, said as many as 40 million people across the country are at risk of being evicted when that moratorium expires.

But some renters who live in the city of Dalton might see some relief.

The city has received $174,814 in Community Development Block Grant money from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that can be used for rental assistance to prevent the eviction of those who can demonstrate they are suffering financial hardship because of COVID-19.

The city released a request for proposals to administer the grant last month. The proposals were due Monday, and the City Council is expected to award the contract at its Tuesday, Jan. 19, meeting.

“Only those households that reside in the city of Dalton can apply for assistance,” said Dalton Chief Financial Officer Cindy Jackson. “Our Community Development Block Grant funds can only be spent for residents of Dalton. This isn’t a condition that the city imposed. It is imposed by HUD.”

The program will award up to $604 a month for a one-bedroom unit, $724 for a two-bedroom unit or $996 for a three-bedroom unit. The program will pay for assistance for up to six months. 

“It is on a first-come, first-serve basis with those applicants with the lowest income levels receiving priority over other eligible applicants,” said Jackson. “There is no targeted group such as elderly or families. It is purely income based. It is household income so if you have a roommate or a working child all income has to be counted.”

Recipients have to show they were current on their rent payments prior to March 16, 2020. They must demonstrate that they had a substantial decrease in household income because of COVID-19 by producing documents such as pay stubs or termination notice, medical bills, unemployment benefits award letter or a signed letter from their employer.

And their total household income cannot exceed 80% of the median household income for the area adjusted by the size of the household. That means, for instance, that a household of four cannot have more than $43,750 in income.

“If you estimate a two-bedroom, six-month maximum at $4,344, that will allow us to assist 40 households,” Jackson said. “Hopefully, we will be able to assist more, i.e. ,not every applicant will have a two-bedroom, not every applicant will be at the six-month maximum, etc.”

Those who are taking part in another rental assistance program are ineligible for this program.

Patricia Thompson, business manager for the Salvation Army Dalton, said she was “very excited” when she heard the city had received the money. The Salvation Army and other local groups have been discussing the impact of COVID-19 on local housing for several months. Thompson said the program could help local families who have been struggling to get ahead get back on their feet.