Georgia Department of Community Affairs

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program provides street outreach, emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, homelessness prevention, and related services to persons experiencing homelessness or in danger of becoming homeless throughout the state. 

Sub-awards are provided to local government entities and non-profit organizations utilizing State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission (HTF) and Federal HUD ESG funds.  These agencies then deliver program services at the local level.  This program is principally designed to operate within a continuum of assistance that enables individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to move toward housing sustainability.

ESG Street Outreach

ESG funds may be used for costs of providing essential services necessary to reach out to unsheltered homeless people; connect them with emergency shelter, housing, or critical services; and provide urgent, non facility-based care to unsheltered homeless people who are unwilling or unable to access emergency shelter, housing, or an appropriate health facility. The term ‘‘unsheltered homeless people’’ is defined as -- (1) An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning: (i) An individual or family with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;…

Recipients of these funds must utilize HMIS to capture client data to the maximum extent practicable.