ATLANTA — The chairman of the Fulton County Commission says it has no plans to pull millions of dollars meant to help the homeless.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln says this comes after she reported on concerns the county might pull that funding.
This program is built on a three-way partnership between the City of Atlanta, Fulton County and the nonprofit Partners for Home.
Each group must bring its share to the table before these housing developments can move forward.
The county chairman says Fulton County never planned to back out, but officials first had to take a hard look at the budget.
“I can guarantee you that it will be in the budget,” Fulton County Commissioner Chair Robb Pitts said.
Pitts told Lincoln the $2.2 million for wraparound services like job training and mental health support isn’t going anywhere.
“That’s why I don’t understand what all of this noise was about,” he said.
Last week, homeless advocates sounded the alarm, worried the county might pull the plug on funding.
The program helps create affordable housing for hundreds of homeless.
Cathryn Vassell, CEO of Partners for Home, says it’s a multimillion-dollar public-private partnership with both the City of Atlanta and Fulton County.
Without the county’s contribution, she says about 200 housing units planned for this year, and more than 500 by 2027, could be left at a standstill.
“We cannot take someone who’s been on the streets for over a year, hand them a key, and say ‘good luck,’” Vassell said.
“We have a lot of demands for money right now,” Pitts said.
He says commissioners had to explore every option as requests pile up: jail improvements, a $17 million hospital proposal in South Fulton and nearly $15 million tied to possible repayments connected to the President Donald Trump election interference case.
“All of these things are out there that we have to take into consideration while not raising property taxes,” Pitts said.
For unhoused residents, this program was the key that unlocked a new chapter.
“I never gave up,” one man said.
“It’s a miracle—the best program I’ve ever been in,” he added.
County commissioners are expected to take up the funding vote at Wednesday’s board meeting.
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