Monica DeLancy, a well-known Cobb County tenants’ rights organizer and the founder and president of the We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association, distributed a message to tenants who are under threat of eviction.

The email contained advice, resources, and tips on preparing.

We’ve reprinted her email below with minor edits for clarity and to fit the Courier’s format:

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Please share this email to raise awareness that some families may be evicted at any time. The county has writs from as far back as November and is now enforcing them with set-outs. I have received five calls this week looking for shelter and resources. Families are suffering in silence and embarrassed about their situation. 

Some families are in houses or apartments thinking they won’t be evicted ( forced setouts)  because it’s taking so long.  Forced setouts are embarrassing and traumatizing to our children for their entire lives. 

The email includes resources for families. 

Cobb County updates about evictions  dates of forced set outs and resources

Cobb County forced set-out evictions May take place on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays. If you receive a writ of possession, the next step is to move, or a sheriff will arrive with a removal team to do a forced eviction. They do not give you a time or date for forced move-outs. A person is not notified when a forced set-out will take place. 

Cobb County  evictions are done primarily in Cobb County magistrate court. Call Cobb county court at 770-528-8900 if you have not paid rent and to see if you have a court date

 If you have. Not paid rent communicate with your landlords.

Contact Cobb Legal Aid at 770-528-2565 for legal assistance or go to Cobb County Magistrate Court 32. Waddell street  9am to. 12:30  Monday to Friday  

Please note that you should always contact an attorney to assist you with interpreting any documents you receive from the court. When the sheriffs arrive at your door, it’s too late. If you leave court without having rental assistance in place with guaranteed funds, you may need more than two weeks to get assistance.

Remember rental assistance is short-term assistance, and you need to have long-term plans in place.

Resources

Cobb county rental assistance

The Cobb County eviction diversion program can be reached at 770-428-2601, and ask about it when you go to court. It must be the first time an eviction was filed against you in Cobb County, and you have to have a child enrolled in Cobb County or Marietta school district.

Current rental assistance:

Must Ministries

https://www.mustministries.org/housing

Urban League of Georgia

404 798 5839

Sweetwater Mission

Eligibility:

Must be a Cobb resident

Must have children 17 years or younger in the household

Must have been impacted by the pandemic and be able to provide documents for that

Must be past due

Must complete an application and sign our check request form

Must provide the following documents”

Photo ID

Copies of social security cards

Proof of hardship stemming from the pandemic

Proof of income – several paystubs or income tax returns for 2022

current lease

current ledger from landlord.

Assistance up to $3000 paid to the property

Sweetwater Mission, Inc

770-819-0662 (tel:770-819-0662), Ext, 16  must leave name and contact number

Gmen rental assistance

jessica@gmen.org to check status of application

And

Www.gmen.org

Assistance up to $5000 paid to the property (owner).

Atlanta Legal Aid

Only can apply if you have an active eviction case.

Atlanta Legal Aid is assisting with rental assistance.

This is their notice:

Please call tel:(404)436-1469 to reach our Eviction Prevention Initiative. You must leave one voicemail with your name and phone number, and we will call you back as soon as possible. This is the only number accepting applications for rental assistance. Please do not call our main number or your local county office.

If approved, the amount can be made out to the leaseholder.

Communities in Schools program

If you have a child in school, check with the school for Communities in Schools director who will Assist you with enrichment programs and rental/ housing and utility assistance

Zion keepers

We have 3 rental assistance programs running concurrently : HOME, HOME-ARP, COBB-ARPA. Both are fully subscribed, but openings occur sometimes. Clients need to send email to info@zionkeepers.org or call the office at 678-388-0218 between 10am- 2pm, Monday through Thursday. Friday from 10am -12noon Our intake coordinators are happy to assist.

Contact Cobb County Magistrate court to find out if you (have a) court case 770-528-8900

Contact Cobb Legal Aid to assist you with court cases 770-528-2565

If you are looking for assistance, please document who you spoke to, and if you do not receive a call back within seven days, contact your Cobb County commissioners for assistance. Do not wait to go to Court to get assistance.

Cobb County Board of Commissioners

lisa.cupid@cobbcounty.org

JoAnn.Birrell@cobbcounty.org

Keli.Gambrill@cobbcounty.org

monique.sheffield@cobbcounty.org

Jerica.Richardson@cobbcounty.org