08/27/2020 – Stone Mountain, Georgia – The emblem of the City of Stone Mountain is displayed outside the cityÕs visitor center in the downtown Stone Mountain Village, Thursday, August 27, 2020. (ALYSSA POINTER / [email protected])
By Zachary Hansen
The City of Stone Mountain has thousands of dollars set aside for residents who are struggling to pay their mortgages, rent and utility bills as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
City Manager ChaQuias Miller-Thornton said Stone Mountain has budgeted $150,000 for the relief program. It launched last year, but she said the city hasn’t received enough applications to use all of the funds.
“The percentage of people who applied for the program who live in the city is not as great as we would want it to be, which is strange to me, because we know there is a need,” she said.
The program is a partnership between Stone Mountain and St. Vincent de Paul, a charity that helps those in need. The maximum reward for those who qualify is $4,000 per household.
The city, which has fewer than 6,300 residents, received more than 60 applications, but only about a third of them qualified. The rest were from outside of Stone Mountain’s city limits, which is a requirement to receive assistance from this program. Having a Stone Mountain address does not mean you live in the city’s limits.
Residents can learn more or apply at svdpgeorgia.org/stone-mountain-help or by calling 678-892-6163.
Read the original story on AJC.com.
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The City of Stone Mountain has partnered with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Georgia (SVdP) to administer the City’s Stone Mountain Cares – Residential Relief Fund. Through this collaboration, residents living within the incorporated City limits of Stone Mountain are provided an opportunity to apply for mortgage, rent, and utility assistance. Any resident or household that has been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may qualify for financial assistance in accordance with the terms and conditions of the program.
The City has given SVdP authority to work with landlords and vendors to negotiate any outstanding debt (mortgage, rent, utilities) incurred after March 1, 2020, as a result of COVID-19. The City is requesting for all landlords to cease any late fees or eviction proceedings during the negotiating period. Landlords, please work and cooperate with the SVdP caseworkers. This partnership intends to resolve applicable outstanding mortgage, rent, or utility debt to bring economic relief to the families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apply Online
Click Here for the Application in English or Spanish
Apply by Phone
(678) 892-6163 Assistance Line
