Atlanta launches $500 no-fee rent loan program to prevent evictions
The Atlanta skyline as seen from FOX 5’s 101 Marietta camera. Storms began to roll into the metro Atlanta in the early evening hours of Aug. 12, 2025. (FOX 5)
ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced a new zero-cost, zero-fee anti-displacement microloan program to help vulnerable households avoid eviction.
What we know:
Dickens introduced a zero-cost, zero-fee anti-displacement loan program as part of the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative.
The two-year pilot offers $500 rent loans to help eligible households facing financial hardship avoid missing payments.
The City of Atlanta is contributing $50,000 in pilot funding.
Local and national donors are providing additional support, including $50,000 for loan costs from Airbnb, $150,000 in loan capital from the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, and $150,000 from the William Josef Foundation.
The Flagstone Initiative, a national nonprofit founded in 2022, is administering the program.
Flagstone has issued over 9,000 microloans across seven states by working with governments, housing providers and philanthropic donors.
What they're saying:
"Sometimes the difference between stability and crisis is a few hundred dollars at the wrong time," Dickens said. "This pilot gives us another tool to step in early, help families stay in their homes and prevent a temporary setback from becoming an eviction."
What you can do:
Households looking for more information can visit flagstoneinitiative.org/rent-loan or reach out to the city's Housing Help Center.
Housing providers interested in participating can contact Flagstone at flagstoneinitiative.org/contact, and details on the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative are at atl.direct/nri/.
What we don't know:
Officials have not specified the total number of households that will receive assistance under the pilot funding.
Repayment terms require recipients to contribute $20 a week for 25 weeks with no interest, fees, collateral, credit checks, credit reporting or collections tied to the loan.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an official press release from the Office of Mayor Andre Dickens, who detailed the pilot program launch, as well as program information provided by the Flagstone Initiative.