We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association, a renters rights group based in South Cobb, sent the following letter to the Cobb County state legislative delegation, the Board of Commissioners, and a number of other county officials:

We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association 2022 plan presented to Cobb legislative delegation and Cobb Board of Commissioners Housing is on the agenda

It is no question who is most in danger when it comes to security, stability and attainable success. The black and brown communities of Cobb have been in need for true protection when it comes to transitions and assistance.

I attended the Cobb Delegation joint meeting today with Cobb Board of Commissioners and Cobb Delegation state representatives and state senators. As I walked in the room Cobb Chairwoman Cupid was delivering updates and referenced housing on the agenda as a priority

This is the plan I emailed the Cobb Board of Commissioners, Cobb Delegation and Cobb elected officials We thrive in Riverside Renters Association request long-term solutions. We  request development of multi family or single family housing.We request for future meetings agendas have a report about housing for all and its progress

“Exclusionary zoning policies that concentrate racialized poverty and foster segregation must be banned, and investments must be made in affordable, accessible housing that gives residents a choice of where to live and that works for a diverse range of families.

We expect at least 2 developments to be presented and completed by 2023 in Cobb County” says Monica DeLancy, Director of We Thrive Riverside and a lifelong community activist. We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association request for local government to expand the eviction moratorium
Due to recovery for certain demographics will be impacted and need assistance to recover .Cobb County magistrate court was wall to wall with evictions prior to the pandemic
Recovery for many individuals and families will extend well beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, a national, comprehensive moratorium on evictions should be extended past the pandemic to ensure that renters are able to remain housed. When moratoriums on evictions do expire, renters will face an accumulation of owed back rent. Rent, deposit, and utility assistance that lasts throughout the pandemic and its recovery would provide essential aid for the more than 1 in 6 renters who are not current on rent payments and could prevent evictions altogether.

We thrive in Riverside Renters Association demand state legislators make a law to expunge eviction records

During the pandemic period March 2020 to March 2022 so people can have a fair chance in acquiring housing
Having an eviction on one’s credit report and/or public record can affect one’s ability to secure housing.97 Local legislation, such as Washington, D.C.’s Eviction Record Sealing Authority Amendment Act of 201998 and Fairness in Renting Emergency Amendment Act of 2020,99 could help people looking to rent by sealing eviction records to prevent landlords from denying an applicant housing based on public records.
If people don’t have a place to live they can’t vote

“Recovery for many individuals and families will extend well beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, a national, comprehensive moratorium on evictions should be extended past the pandemic to ensure that renters are able to remain housed. When moratoriums on evictions do expire, renters will face an accumulation of owed back rent. Rent, deposit, and utility assistance that lasts throughout the pandemic and its recovery would provide essential aid for the more than 1 in 6 renters who are not current on rent payments and could prevent evictions altogether”

We Thrive In Riverside Renters Association will partner with coalitions to effectively execute the plan

We support community partnerships and accountability

Meaningful community partnerships must be prioritized, resourced, and sustained to ensure more equitable responses, encourage quarterly meetings with community organizations, school districts, elected officials that provide updates and concrete outcomes

“Housing must be a top priority as this nation transitions and recovers,” states William Dukes. Once homeless, Dukes supports efforts to keep families from enduring this struggle he knows all too well “Homelessness is a lot to navigate. You must rebuild your life, one piece at a time with little to no resources to support or assist you”

This cry for help is one that DeLancy hears often. This is why she adds putting a time stamp on healing is ‘unrealistic and futile’ 

In some cities, eviction fallouts are already being felt. 

“My brother was already suffering from a mental health crisis when COVID started and now that he has officially lost his home, he has started wandering again. At least when he was in a home, this was a place of stability and familiarity for him to return” Though the woman did not want to be named, she did share that to prevent another ‘snap’ from her brother, the family assists him with travel and lodging to other cities “It’s sad but we don’t know what else to do. He is a young man so being medicated and sedated all the time doesn’t seem fair either.

As more evictions roll out, these stories will increase, DeLancy fears. Statistics show she is not far off. As a record number of people are leaving their jobs, due to lack of wages and not wanting to compromise their personal health, plenty of others are facing challenges of not being offered enough to even compete with increased rental and home purchase demands.

This is more than just having privacy or a place to sleep. If you don’t have a place to live, that may make the difference between a warm meal or snacks. If you don’t have a place to live, your children may not complete high school. If you don’t have place to live, you are most likely to face an arrest. If people don’t have a place to live they can’t vote. It’s not just about the quality of life being threatened here. It’s having a life at all!”

We look forward to partnering to execute the plan

Monica DeLancy

We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association