Atlanta pauses evictions, water shutoffs as SNAP funding lapses

FULL: Mayor announces plan to help SNAP recipients during shutdown

Mayor Andre Dickens, the Atlanta Community Food Bank and other community leaders announced the launch of an emergency initiative to assist residents facing food insecurity due to the looming federal funding lapse for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has ordered an immediate pause on residential evictions and water shutoffs as the federal lapse in SNAP funding threatens to leave families without food assistance starting Nov. 1.

What we know:

The mayor’s administrative order directs the Department of Watershed Management to halt all residential water service terminations for unpaid bills through Jan. 31, 2026, or until the federal shutdown ends. It also instructs city housing partners, including the Atlanta Housing Authority, Invest Atlanta, the Fulton County/City of Atlanta Land Bank Authority, and Partners for Home, to suspend eviction filings and late fees in city-owned or city-funded housing for the same period.

Get more details on the upcoming SNAP suspension:

What they're saying:

"No resident should go hungry or wonder how they will put food on the table because of a government shutdown or a failure to agree on policy decisions," Dickens said. "We care and are standing in gap, not as a substitute for federal benefits, but as a bridge to ensure our residents’ basic needs are met."

City officials said the order is part of the broader ATL CARES initiative, which coordinates emergency aid for residents facing hardship during the federal funding lapse.

Dig deeper:

Roughly 260,000 people in metro Atlanta rely on SNAP benefits, and officials warn the suspension could increase food insecurity and financial strain across the region.

The Source: The details in this article come from the Office of the Atlanta Mayor. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.

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