The United States Supreme Court struck down the federal moratorium on evictions this week. The move will impact thousands of people in Georgia. Meanwhile, the state is now offering rental assistance through its program.
Previously, many tenants and landlords had to seek help through their local county or city. Georgia received more than a billion dollars to help with unpaid rent. The state is now opening its portion of that money to all state residents in need — who will have to show they lost income during the pandemic and are at risk of being homeless.
This is significant. The state program with hundreds of millions of dollars in federal rental assistance is now available to anyone in Georgia. Previously, it was limited to those outside the biggest counties, which had their own programs. To apply: https://t.co/vElNof2LM2pic.twitter.com/DhGg1InVxB
A man stands outside of his room at the Fireside Inn motel in Reno, Nev. The top two floors of the motel are for weekly and monthly rentals. A Georgia court is set to decide if guests at extended stays can ever be considered tenants. CREDIT JOHN LOCHER / AP PHOTO
Atlanta’s real estate market was more affordable than the national average in April. Matt Rouke/ AP
Potential buyers in metro Atlanta are facing what Engel & Volkers Atlanta managing broker Christian Ross calls “buyers’ malaise” due to the limited housing supply.
Atlanta Public Schools offered free Pfizer vaccines for eligible students and staff at all middle and high schools once school started. CREDIT ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Atlanta Public Schools will require staff to submit to COVID-19 surveillance testing twice a week, starting after Labor Day. APS says 81% of employees who responded to a survey are vaccinated against the virus, but the district reports low staff participation in weekly Covid testing.
The district says almost 200 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 since mid-July with about half of those were vaccinated. (The Atlanta Board of Education holds WABE’s broadcast license.)
Gainesville City Schools is the latest district to impose a mask mandate as coronavirus infections continue to surge in Georgia. Students, employees, and visitors will be required to wear masks in the Gainesville schools starting Monday. The district says the mandate is temporary and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Earlier this month, the Marietta City Schools put a mask mandate in place. Previously, masks had just been recommended.
Pfizer approved…
From Walt Disney World and Chevron to CVS and a Michigan university, a flurry of private and public employers are requiring workers to get vaccinated after the federal government gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. CREDIT ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO
This week, the Food and Drug Administration finally gave their full approval to the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech.
Millions of doses had already been administered under an emergency use authorization, or EUA. It’s a slightly lower regulatory bar meant for public health crises.
“We’re now at a point that all of us feel that we have all the same amount of access to amenities,” said county commission chair Romona Jackson Jones. “And I didn’t think I’d see this in my lifetime.” https://t.co/gduPe6VDMa
