You don’t need to be a newshound to know that rents are going up all over America — even in traditionally affordable parts of the country like Georgia. As market values for rent properties continues to climb, a larger number of people are having more difficulty finding affordable rentals in Georgia — and those who already have a place to live are having more difficulties keeping up with rising costs. The good news is that there are still affordable rentals out there, and there are also programs to help lower-income individuals and families find affordable places to live. If you are struggling either to make rent or to find an affordable rental in Georgia, the following guide should help you take the next steps.

Get Your Paperwork Together First

If you simply try to use the Internet to find apartments in your price range, chances are you’re going to spend a lot of time spinning your wheels. You’ll probably fare much better, and get a nicer place to live, by trying to qualify for rent assistance and other affordable housing programs. To do this, you’ll need to gather information about your income, including pay stubs, bank accounts, tax returns and basic information on your monthly expenses. We share more about this process in our guide on How to Find Affordable Housing.

Connect with Affordable Housing Resources in Georgia

A number of agencies in Georgia help low income individuals and their families connect to the resources that can help them. Here in Georgia, the state agency that coordinates federal and state resources is the Department of Community Affairs. Here you can get information about affordable housing developments in your area as well as beginning the application process to qualify for housing choice vouchers — government subsidies to make rent more affordable for you.

Another approach: contact your local housing authority to find out more information about qualifying properties in your area and apply for assistance. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides a comprehensive list of public housing offices throughout Georgia. You can also find other local Georgia affordable rental resources at the HUD website.

Tour Qualifying Properties in Your Area

Once you’ve figured out your budget, done your paperwork and qualified for any available assistance, it’s time to start doing the actual legwork of touring affordable rental properties in your city. Your local housing office should have a list of qualifying properties, or you may be able to find them by a simple Google search like “affordable rentals in ____” (name of your city). Many of these properties will take housing vouchers, while others may receive tax credits for designating some of their apartments as “affordable housing.” If you qualify for a specific program, make sure that complex participates in that program before signing a lease.

Olympia Management manages a number of safe, clean affordable housing communities across Georgia. To learn more about availability and qualifying for these affordable rentals, call us at 256-894-2382.