ATL Launches Anti-Displacement Program Amid Eviction Crisis

More than 142,000 eviction cases were filed across the five-county metro Atlanta region as of Aug. 1

The city of Atlanta has launched a two-year No-Fee Microloan Anti-Displacement Program designed to help financially distressed renters remain in their homes. Eligible households can receive a $500 interest-free loan to help cover rent, according to the city government’s website.

The program comes as metro Atlanta is on pace for another staggering year of eviction filings, with Black renters disproportionately at risk as high housing costs continue to strain household finances, Capital B Atlanta reports.

More than 142,000 eviction cases were filed across the five-county metro Atlanta region as of Aug. 1, according to Princeton University’s Eviction Lab data. The total exceeds filings in New York City, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Metro Atlanta led the nation in eviction filings in 2025.

Black households have shouldered much of the burden. Black residents account for about 52% of renters in the region but nearly 70% of eviction cases. Peter Hepburn, an Eviction Lab collaborator and associate professor of sociology at Rutgers University, said Black renters face four to five times the eviction risk of white renters.

The disparity extends across income levels. Hepburn said Black households earning more than $80,000 annually face a greater eviction risk than white households earning $20,000. He cited factors including discrimination, limited savings, and fewer financial support networks.

High rents and stagnant incomes have contributed to the crisis, but researchers also point to Georgia’s eviction laws. Landlords must wait only three business days to file an eviction for unpaid rent. Filing can cost as little as $50 to $75 in metro Atlanta, compared with a national average of more than $110.

Within Atlanta, about 31,000 people are facing eviction, according to Courtney English, chief of staff for Mayor Andre Dickens.

“It’s totally unacceptable and absolutely solvable,” English said during a Sept. 10 meeting with housing researchers and local leaders.

This crisis comes as Atlanta’s homeless population has increased for four consecutive years. Local officials, researchers, and nonprofit leaders are examining strategies to prevent displacement, while advocates are calling on Georgia lawmakers to strengthen protections for renters.