Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center is committed to ending homelessness in Gwinnett County. Through the Coordinated Entry System, we allow anyone experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis to contact us via phone, the Internet, or in person to get connected to the resources available in our community.
Through strong relationships with our community partners we make direct links to food services, mental health care, medical care, substance abuse treatment, jobs, hotel vouchers, transitional housing, and longer term housing programs. Either through on site staff, or partners, we are able to provide services in English and Spanish.
Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center provides services on a referral basis, offering a multitude of programs including diversion, emergency shelter, rental assistance, utility assistance, assistance with asylum seekers, and SNAP benefits. We are continually assessing the needs of the community and striving to meet people where they are.
Office Hours
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Walk-in Hours
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Lunch Break
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Please Note: Walk-in assessments are subject to the availability of a housing navigator. Hours may vary during holidays and office closures. Please call in advance to confirm.
About Gwinnett County Coordinated Entry Assessment Center
Gwinnett County Coordinated Entry Assessment Center Initiative is a collaborative partnership between Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and The Latin American Association, seeking to develop a strategic, coordinated approach to addressing homelessness in Gwinnett County by better-connecting services for those who need them most.
This process of identifying available solutions, and connecting people to those solutions, is known as Coordinated Entry. For more information about Coordinated Entry in general, please visit the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Balance of State page here.
The Latin American Association and Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center will never request money from you for services or assistance. If someone has requested money from you via Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, etc. please be aware of scams and suspicious behavior. If you suspect you are being scammed please call us at 770-847-6765.
Get Help
Are you sleeping in your car, on the street, in an abandoned house, or another place not meant for habitation? Have you been kicked out of your home and have nowhere to go? Complete an intake form, and we will help connect you to available emergency shelter resources in Gwinnett County.
Please note, while we will do our best to assist you, resources in Gwinnett County are limited. Completing an application does not guarantee assistance. A housing navigator will review your submission and, based on availability, reach out via the email you provided to schedule a pre-screening appointment. You will receive a calendar invite for an assessment. However, an assessment does not guarantee services.
Extended wait times of up to one week may occur during periods of high application volume. If your application is more than 30 days old and your circumstances have changed, please complete a new application.
Click the box below to access the application. We are here to assist as best as we can.
Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center
Gwinnett County Coordinated Entry Assessment Center is only able to provide emergency shelter for people who meet the federal definition of homelessness 1 and 4 found in in 24 CFR 576.2.
Finding Affordable Housing
Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center is not a housing search and placement program. We are not able to directly connect people with affordable housing. For those households that are not homeless, but need to find more affordable housing, it is hard to know where to turn.
The truth of the matter is hard to face. According to the 2021 Gwinnett County Housing Study conducted by KB Advisory Group, only 2% of households that earn less than $50,000 in Gwinnett County can find affordable housing and less than half of the households that earn between $50,000-$100,000 annually can find affordable housing. In addition, HFG receives multiple reports that landlords are refusing to rent to a household if they use any type of housing voucher or assistance. There are a few resources that provide affordable housing, but they are often full and have a long waitlist. To find out more about those resources, click below.
Lawrenceville Housing Authority
Norcross Housing Authority
Georgia Housing Choice Vouchers
The Gwinnett OneStop 4 Help says that if you are “facing hunger, health, housing, and other issues…we can help.” Click to complete their “Assistance Request Form.”
If you want to share your thoughts, or if you have questions about why there is such a limited supply of affordable housing in Gwinnett County, you may wish to reach out to your local representatives. Find out who they are using the links below.
Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners
State and Federal Representatives
Additional Services
LAUNDRY
Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center has developed a relationship with The Nett Church to provide limited free laundry services each week. Talk to your Housing Navigator to see if you are eligible for this service. Please click here to see what slots are available for the week.
Other Resources
Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center connects with many community partners who offer a wide variety of services. Check out the links below to open the door to additional resources.
United Way of Greater Atlanta 211
Gwinnett County Health & Human Services
Gwinnett Cares
Food Pantries
Warming Stations and OneStops
Gwinnett Coordinated Entry System
Gwinnett County is full of people who want to help others. This is reflected in the numerous non-profit and religious organizations that work to provide people with shelter and housing resources throughout Gwinnett County. In fact, there are so many that it can often be a challenge to find out which one to connect with to get help. That is why the Gwinnett County Coordinated Entry Assessment Center provides Housing Navigators to help people through the process as part of the Gwinnett County Coordinated Entry System. Below is a description of how the system typically works when resources are available.
A family can no longer afford their extended stay hotel and end up spending the night in their car. They reach out to the Gwinnett County Coordinated Entry Assessment Center for help online, or in person and complete the pre-screening for assistance. From there, a Housing Navigator will reach out to them to learn more about their situation so they can identify the appropriate emergency shelter resources. We work as quickly as we can to get people into emergency shelters and most of our partners provide between 1 and 4 weeks of motel assistance due to the very limited shelter space in Gwinnett County. As part of this assessment, the Housing Navigator will discuss an applicant’s housing history and review common barriers to housing to determine if they are eligible for any ongoing housing support such as Rapid Rehousing.
If the assessment shows that the family is eligible for additional housing support, they will be placed on a prioritization list. This list is used to make sure the most vulnerable members of our community are assisted first and the prioritization standards are set by the Georgia Balance of State Continuum of Care.
Once that family becomes eligible based on the prioritization standards, we make a referral to the appropriate organization. We call and email the family to let them know that the referral has been made and to expect the organzation to contact them directly. We also encourage them to gather any documents that the partner organization may need to verify eligibility. This referral is not a guarantee of service and the family may choose to decline the referral.
Once the referral is accepted and the family is enrolled with the program, they have completed the coordinated entry process and will continue to work with the organization to secure permanent housing.
You can learn more about Coordinated Entry by visiting the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Balance of State website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center do?
Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center is the lead entity for the Gwinnett Coordinated Entry System. That means that we work with partners throughout Gwinnett County to coordinate referrals for applicants. We coordinate assessments and referrals to emergency shelters, and programs such as permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, or rapid rehousing.
Why can’t I just go to an agency directly to get help?
For some things you can, but by going through the Gwinnett Coordinated Entry System first, we do the hard work of determining which agencies have services available, review their eligibility requirements, and make the referral. This minimizes contacting multiple places that you do not qualify for or do not have current availability. Also, many programs require referrals from Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center and the Coordinated Entry System.
How long will it take to get services after I complete my assessment?
Unfortunately, we cannot give a timeframe in which we will be able to make a referral to a housing program. Factors that affect the timeline include, but are not limited to program availability, the number of people on the prioritization list, availability of affordable housing, and changes to your situation. Additionally, sometimes knowing that there are no resources available allows you to consider other options and our Housing Navigators can help you think through alternate solutions.
Do you help with rent or utilities?
We offer referrals to these services when they are available. We recommend that you contact United Way 211 or the Gwinnett OneStop 4 Help.
I know someone who is experiencing homelessness, can I get help for them?
Due to client confidentiality, in most cases, we cannot work through a 3rd party to assist someone. We encourage you to help them access us via phone, internet, or in person so that we can help them directly.
How long does my application remain active?
Please note that applications are kept active for 30 days. After this period, whether or not you received assistance, you may need to reapply as we do not retain applications indefinitely.
Does the Resting Spot offer shelter to men?
No, the Resting Spot is for women and children only and is currently closed.
Do you only help people who live in Gwinnett County?
The resources available through the Coordinated Entry System generally require proof of residency in Gwinnett County. If you believe you should be eligible, but are unsure, please call us at 770-847-6765.
My organization provides help for people experiencing homelessness and would like to learn more or partner with you. How do we get in touch?
Please connect with us at 770-847-6765 or click here to complete an inquiry form.
Do you accept donations?
We appreciate the generosity of our community; please connect with us at 770-847-6765 to see if we have available storage to accept your donation. If you are interesting in making a monetary donation to Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center please click here.
What else do help with?
The Latin American Association Gwinnett Outreach Center also provides support through a clothing closet, hygiene products, and snacks for our homeless population. Additionally, we offer SNAP benefits assistance (by appointment only) and supportive services for asylum seekers.
To learn more about the additional services offered by the LAA, please visit our main website.
