Helping Atlanta Families Stay Home
For more than 5,500 Atlanta-area families, the Star-C Program has helped make it possible to remain in their apartments during difficult times. The nonprofit’s Eviction Relief Fund began during the COVID pandemic and has grown from a $50,000 GoFundMe campaign into an effort that has raised more than $16.5 million for rent assistance.
Founder Marjy Stagmeier, an affordable-housing landlord with more than 30 years of experience, knows that even dependable renters can face a sudden setback. “Many renters are stable residents, but they can experience temporary challenges and can’t pay rent,” she says.
That understanding shaped Star-C’s approach. After studying evictions in Atlanta, Stagmeier and her partners saw that a missed payment does not always reflect a lasting inability to pay. A stolen pension check, for example, left one longtime tenant struggling to cover rent for the home she shared with her grandchildren. During a federal government shutdown, Star-C also helped Atlanta TSA employees whose paychecks had been suspended.
The nonprofit has since brought other apartment owners into its eviction-intervention effort. More than 330 apartment communities, encompassing 64,000 units, have joined its platform. Its partners are committed to keeping homes affordable for families living at or near the poverty level, or earning up to 80% of the area’s median income.
Star-C’s support extends beyond rent. It helps connect tenants with after-school programs, summer camps, medical services, food assistance, playgrounds and Cub Scouts. Reflecting on the children who took part in its after-school program, Stagmeier told Good News Network in 2021, “Many children have come through the Star-C after-school program, who are now doctors, plumbers, and school teachers, earning good wages that moved them out of poverty.”
Affordable rent can also give families room to save. “Almost 100 families have elevated from renting to home ownership because we kept rents low so families can save their money,” Stagmeier said.
Star-C is not currently accepting new rental-assistance applications because it has reached capacity for this funding cycle. Those who would like to support its work can donate through the nonprofit’s website.
