The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has announced a new funding opportunity through the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission to support local efforts to reduce homelessness across Georgia. The program, known as Georgia Rehoused, streamlines multiple funding sources into a single application process to help communities develop housing and services that reduce unsheltered homelessness.

Communities must first complete a pre-application process, allowing DCA staff to review eligibility and determine whether proposed projects are ready to compete for funding. This step is designed to help applicants strengthen their proposals before entering the competitive application round.

Funding will support several types of projects, including permanent housing opportunities, non-congregate shelters or transitional housing, and homeless services such as shelter operations and encampment relocation. Available funding includes:

• Up to $5 million from the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Reserve for permanent housing
• Up to $4 million from HOME-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) funds, primarily for manufactured housing units
• Up to $35 million from the FY2026 State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless appropriation for non-congregate shelter or transitional housing
• Up to $10 million from the FY2026 State Housing Trust Fund appropriation for homeless services, including two years of shelter operations

Applicants may choose to accept state funds, federal funds, or both, but must comply with the applicable requirements. Federal funds require compliance with federal regulations such as environmental reviews, reporting and monitoring, procurement standards, and Davis-Bacon requirements for larger projects. State-funded projects must follow State Housing Trust Fund program rules and reporting requirements.

Key dates for the first funding cycle include:

• March 9, 2026: Pre-applications released
• March 31, 2026: Notices of funding and competitive applications released
• April 7, 2026: Pre-application deadline
• May 11, 2026: Competitive application deadline
• Week of June 6, 2026: Anticipated award notifications
• June 23, 2026: Commission award approvals

Communities interested in applying are encouraged to review the program guidelines and begin preparing their pre-application materials early.