ATLANTA - Authorities say millions of dollars in a fund intended to help unemployed Georgia homeowners avoid foreclosure have gone unspent, even as 12,000 residents get foreclosure notices each month.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (http://bit.ly/HVv0Xl) that more than a year ago, Georgia got nearly $340 million in federal funds to help unemployed homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Since the official launch of HomeSafe Georgia's in April 2011, the state has awarded $23 million, helping fewer than 1,000 Georgians keep their homes.

Critics and supporters of the program say the state has failed to adequately market the program. And of the people who have applied, too few meet the guidelines the state established.

Georgia Department of Community Affairs Phil Foil says the state should have done more early on to inform people about the program.