Cobb’s Innovative Housing Stability Court Gains Funding for Extension
Funds Reallocation to Extend Eviction Diversion Program Through 2026

Marietta, GA -- Sytira turned to the non-profit The Center for Family Resources (The CFR) when her life started falling apart. A pregnant mother of two, she was facing eviction. "I did not know where I was going to get help, and I was losing hope," she said.  

Cobb County's Magistrate Court, which handles evictions, partnered with the CFR on an innovative program to help families avoid eviction. The CFR got Sytira into the Housing Stability Court, funded by pandemic relief dollars.  

"Working with them helped me get my footing back," says Sytira. Not only did the program help her and her children to maintain safe and stable housing, but she also attended financial literacy classes that she says helped her to be "financially smart and savvy."  

Cobb's Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night to reallocate nearly one million dollars initially allocated to help the court deal with a backlog of cases and instead use that for the Housing Stability Court.

Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan Murphy told the board that the court would only use some funds to address the backlog before the deadline but could use the money to extend the stability court from mid-2025 through 2026.

Judge Murphy said the Housing Stability Court has succeeded in helping 60 families avoid eviction. "The idea was to bring together financial assistance with case management resources to help those facing eviction for the first time get not only financial assistance but also the job skills, financial literacy, budgeting, resume writing, and other tools so they won't find themselves back in eviction court and break that chain."

"We've witnessed the impacts of this program over the past 12 months and are grateful for the Board's support," says The Center for Family Resources Chief Executive Officer Melanie Kagen. "Our innovative approach is a way to address the root cause of housing instability and allow residents a second chance to get back on track. We're grateful for the partnership with Judge Murphy and his team and Magistrate Court and look forward to continuing to serve Cobb residents."

"I appreciate your initiative," said Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid told Judge Murphy during the board meeting. "Thanks for being transformative so we can keep families housed. We know there is a limited amount of funds available to help us recover from the pandemic, so everything we can do to help ensure people have a place to stay and to help them do that on their own, I think, is a win-win."

"With the pandemic behind us, this move frees up federal funding to extend and expand the voluntary Housing Stability Court," Judge Murphy says. "This first-of-its-kind program has already helped dozens of families avoid homelessness and gain the skills and knowledge needed to improve their financial future.  Now hundreds of additional Cobb tenants and landlords will have an opportunity to participate."