Cobb County Magistrate Court is set to resume eviction hearings when the COVID-19 emergency order is lifted on July 13.

Monica DeLancy, the founder and president of the We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association sent the following email to the Cobb’s Magistrate Court and to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners. DeLancy is a well-known advocate for the rights of renters in Cobb County, particularly in the Riverside Parkway area of South Cobb:

Dear Cobb County Board of Commissioners and Magistrate Court judges,

This correspondence comes with utmost concern and urgency as we seek to provide much needed assistance to area renters- including families and children.

As you are aware, eviction courts were wall to wall in Cobb County, with black women who were facing eviction before the Covid 19 crisis. 

While I commend your efforts to assist during this unprecedented crisis, I do question the effectiveness of a “campaign” that is only assisting Covid 19 situations. Please keep in mind, that families were struggling to maintain”unaffordable” housing  prior to March of this year and the help that is being provided is only a band aid fix, and evictions will soar again by Christmas time

I urge you to take action in order to assist all residents faced with the inability to pay rent during this time. I urge you to focus on the needs of families, children and individuals and how low wages contribute to the fact that households can’t keep up with high cost of rent. It’s not fair that women have to work 2 or 3 jobs to pay for housing, food, transportation and be away from their children.

Please do your part to allocate funds for the benefit of those in need and not greed. 

I stand with We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association as they continue to address these issues and find solutions.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Monica Evette DeLancy 

We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association