Housing/ Rental Assistance

Listed below are resources available to assist with rental support in the Athens area. These include The Ark of Athens, which provides emergency financial assistance to individuals and families in crisis, and the Athens Housing Authority’s Public Housing Program, which offers affordable housing options to low-income residents through income-based rent and supportive services

The Ark of Athens

640A Barber Street, Athens, GA 30601
Phone Number: 706-548-8155
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm.

The Ark United Ministry Outreach Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting low-income working families during unexpected financial crises.

Services:

emergency financial assistance with rent and utilities
financial education
asset-building programs

CWA Opportunity Loans offer second-chance access to credit for clients with credit scores under 500. Interest is pre-paid at a rate significantly below market, and made available through a 100% donor-provided fund. This helps a client refinance predatory loans, provide rental deposits for housing and manage other financial emergencies while improving his or her credit score throughout repayment.

Athens Housing Authority Public Housing Program

The Athens Housing Authority (AHA) offers an affordable housing option for low-income families through its public housing program. However, the AHA cannot provide emergency housing.

Program Eligibility

To be considered for eligibility and suitability in the public housing program, an applicant family must:

Qualify as a family as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the AHA.
Have income at the time of admission that is at or below HUD-specified income limits.
Qualify on the basis of citizenship or the eligible immigrant status of family members.
Provide social security number information for family members as required.
Consent to the AHA’s collection and use of family information as provided for on AHA consent forms.

In addition, the AHA must determine that the current or past behavior of household members does not include activities that are prohibited by HUD or the AHA.

Lifetime Prohibitions from Receiving Housing Assistance

Federal requirements prohibits housing authorities from providing assistance to the following individuals:

Persons who are subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program.
Persons who are convicted for the manufacture or sale of methamphetamines.

Applying for a Housing Unit - Outline of Process

Applicant family applies and is placed on the waiting list based on total preference points and date/time of application.
Applicant family is selected once they are at the top of the waiting list and a unit is expected to come available.
Applicant family verifies preferences still apply at time of selection and submits intake certification and required documentation and consent forms.
Applicant family is interviewed.
An eligibility determination is made and the applicant family is notified of the determination and subsequent steps.