Athens-Clarke County Commissioners are set to vote on next steps in a strategic plan to address homelessness at tonight’s meeting. The vote will determine if around $133,000 will be put towards hiring Maryland-based consulting firm, The Cloudburst Group, to help develop this plan. If authorized, Cloudburst would work with local stakeholders, businesses and residents over an eight-to-nine-month period to analyze how to best meet the needs of ACC’s homeless population.
Since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, Athens-Clarke County has spent more than $8.8 million in addressing homelessness and housing insecurity, including the creation of a county-sanctioned homeless encampment and an eviction prevention program. The county currently has $9.2 million available for projects and services related to homelessness.