Atlanta mayor signs executive order to add $3.5 million into homeless prevention

Homelessness prevention advocates have been pushing for more funding from the city amid concerns about Atlanta’s treatment of the unsheltered community. The Atlanta Homeless Union formed in July to demand better medical care, long-term housing, and access to water for the homeless.

The Bottoms administration has been calling attention to how the city and the United Way of Greater Atlanta have invested millions of dollars into housing strategies and supportive services since she entered office in 2018.

Last year, the city worked other Partners for HOME to secure hotels and permanent housing for “over “800 households,” according to the mayor’s office.

A spokesman for the mayor’s office told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the City Council still has to approve the fund allocation through a vote.

Bottoms said in a statement that ending homelessness in the city is among her administration’s “top priorities.”

“Through partnerships and leveraging public and private resources, we have been able to establish a systemic approach to scaling and implementing rehousing solutions for those experiencing homelessness,” Bottoms said. “This funding will also provide access to housing for residents who continue to be financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”