Fulton County residents afflicted by the coronavirus pandemic — but not Atlantans — can now apply to receive up to $1,500 a month to help pay for rent and utility bills. 

Robb Pitts, chairman of Fulton’s board of commissioners, announced the launch of the application portal on Monday morning, noting that the county was thrilled to learn weeks ago that it would receive $18 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for housing assistance. 

Now, eligible residents can claim up to $1,300 monthly that would go toward rent payments and $200 monthly that could be used for up to six months. 

To be eligible for the assistance, residents must earn less than 80 percent of the area median income (AMI) — that’s a maximum income of $66,150 for a four-person household, for instance — at least one member of the household must have qualified for unemployment benefits or be able to demonstrate a Covid-19-related loss of income and at least one individual in the household must be able to prove that their housing stability would be jeopardized without the assistance. 

Atlanta residents, however, are not eligible to benefit from the county’s program. The city runs its own federally-supported emergency housing assistance program, although it’s unclear when the online application window will reopen. 

Fulton’s program will prioritize households that have been affected by unemployment for 90 days or more and those with incomes at or below 50 percent of the AMI. 

The system will make payments directly to landlords and utility companies on behalf of tenants. 

Click here to see if you’re eligible for the program.  

(Header image, via Google Maps: Downtown Atlanta’s Fulton County government building.)