Motel to Home Program

SVdP Georgia’s Motel to Home program was created in response to a community need identified in the Norcross study: When Extended Stay Becomes Home and by the work of our volunteer caseworkers. This study documented what we have witnessed with our own eyes: extended stay motels have become the homeless shelters of the suburbs for many families for months and years on end. Even though most of them are working full-time, they often have no other alternative after an eviction because most property owners will not rent to a tenant who owes money to another property. They move in thinking it will be a temporary solution but become trapped as the high daily and weekly fees plus the local motel room taxes leaves them little money to save for paying off debt or for deposits on a new apartment.

Our Motel to Home program is a comprehensive model designed to help families move from extended-stay motels to more stable housing. We believe that safe and stable housing is the key leverage point for improving lives and achieving self-sufficiency by impacting:

  • Intergenerational economic mobility
  • Educational achievement
  • Health and wellness

Note: SVdP Georgia does not provide housing, but our Motel to Home program can help with move-in costs once housing has been found.

We have limited funding in Fulton County, available only for rental assistance. There are income limits and clients cannot reside in the City of Atlanta.

Motel TO Home Caseworker Guide

The Model

Families living in extended stay motels face many barriers to stable housing. SVdP has partnered with the United Way of Greater Atlanta and several municipalities to provide Motel to Home participants with a way to overcome these barriers through:

  • A year of one-to-one Case Management with a SVdP caseworker to help them obtain stable housing.
  • Financial support for deposits and first month’s rent and the opportunity to obtain matching funds for savings accounts and job training to achieve a living wage.
  • Education to give them skills to manage their personal finances, housing, career advancement, and personal development

The Process

Click on each step below to be directed to more details and resources.

STEP 1: ADMISSIONS PROCESS

  • Referral Received
  • Application Submitted
  • Application Approved

STEP 2: ENGAGE CLIENT

  • Establish a Connection
  • ASSM and Client Goals
  • Customize Client Curriculum

STEP 3: MONTHLY CHECK-IN

  • Review Goals
  • Review Budget
  • Review Credit Score
  • Review Savings
  • Review Housing Readiness

STEP 4: PREPARE A BUDGET

  • Set Goals
  • Identify Monthly Income & Expenses
  • Choose a Budgeting Method
  • Set a Budget

STEP 5: BUILD SAVINGS

  • Set a Realistic Goal
  • Savings Account and Matching Funds
  • Ways to Find Money to Save

View/Download/Print Full Caseworker Guide

STEP 6: ASSESS HOUSING BARRIERS

  • Eviction Debt
  • Income
  • Student Debt
  • Credit Score

STEP 7: REPAIR CREDIT SCORE

  • How to Read Credit Report
  • Counseling with MMI
  • Report Errors and Rebuild Credit
  • Eviction Debt
  • Using Credit Wisely

STEP 8: INCREASE INCOME

  • Court Ordered Child Support
  • Basic Work Skills
  • Side Gigs
  • Work from Home
  • Workforce Training & Education

STEP 9: CREATE A HOUSING PLAN

  • Finding and Getting an Apartment
  • Tenants Rights & Responsibilities
  • Furniture

STEP 10: EXIT THE RELATIONSHIP

  • Discuss Future Goals/Plans
  • Connect to Resources
  • Review Progress in Credit, Housing, Savings
  • Celebrate Accomplishments with your Client

Eligibility Criteria for Financial Assistance

Motel to Home Program Counties

Funding for Motel to Home is currently available for the following 13 counties:

  • Butts
  • Cherokee
  • Clayton
  • Cobb
  • Coweta
  • DeKalb
  • Douglas
  • Fayette
  • Fulton
  • Gwinnett
  • Henry
  • Paulding
  • Rockdale

Please answer the following questions to help you determine if you are eligible to be considered for financial assistance for the Motel 2 Home Program

  1. Do you have a child under 18 in the household?
  2. Do you currently live in any of the counties listed ?
  3. Do you have enough verifiable income coming into your household to meet rent and other household expenses? (Please note that income must be verified in writing through pay stubs, letters of employment, benefits letters, etc. in order for SVDP M2H to provide financial assistance.)

If you answered YES to ALL of the questions, then you may qualify for help. Please click the Motel to Home Application button below to apply.

Motel to Home Application