DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County is investing $21 million to address the housing affordability crisis.

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond’s multimillion-dollar plan to keep residents in their homes was unanimously approved by the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled a housing affordability crisis in our county,” Thurmond said. “This multimillion-dollar investment will prevent and protect families from evictions from their rental homes and apartments.”

The DeKalb County Community Care Initiative will distribute $13 million to 11 nonprofit organizations to provide rental and utility assistance, employment assistance, training, mental health services, educational needs, food, childcare and legal services.

The initiative is a partnership between DeKalb County Community Development’s Coordinated Entry and other nonprofits, in collaboration with the HUD-approved HOME-ARP program.

Participating nonprofit partners, along with their grant amounts and services they will provide, include:

• New Life Community Ministries, $2,9 million, rent and utilities

• Urban League of Greater Atlanta, $ 2.9 million, rent and utilities

• Latin American Association, $2 million, rent and utilities

• DeKalb County Government, $300,000, Coordinated Entry Services

• Atlanta Legal Aid Society, $600,000, housing stability services

• Jewish Family Career Services of Atlanta, $1 million, rent and utilities

• New American Pathways, $1.04 million, rent and utilities,

• Africa’s Children Fund, $1 million, rent and utilities

• Society of St. Vincent de Paul, $1 million, rent and utilities

• DeKalb Pro Bono, $200,000, housing stability services

• Paws Between Homes, $60,000, housing stability services