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Advocates press for $20 million to expand Georgia Housing Voucher Program as homelessness and encampments rise
Summary
Nonprofit leaders, housing advocates and the DBHDD commissioner urged the subcommittee to invest in the Georgia Housing Voucher Program and supportive housing, saying the program is at capacity and additional state funding could reduce costly hospital, jail and emergency room use.
Advocates from housing nonprofits, hospitals and behavioral health organizations told the Appropriations subcommittee that the Georgia Housing Voucher Program (GHVP) is at capacity and state investment is needed to house the chronically homeless with severe and persistent mental illness.
Catherine Vassell, CEO of Partners for Home (the Atlanta Continuum of Care lead agency), said local efforts have scaled up — including a forthcoming campaign to finance supportive housing — but the state lacks a recurring funding stream and the GHVP slots are full. Several speakers, including Wesley Myrick of the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center and Enterprise Community Partners staff, supported a $20 million FY26 appropriation to expand the voucher program and add capacity for supportive services and outreach teams. Commissioner Kevin Tanner described GHVP enrollment (DBHDD figures showed 2,159 people currently housed through the program) and said the department is negotiating MOUs and other operational supports that intersect with settlement obligations and housing transitions.
