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:
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
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
