Impact By State

Georgia

Overview Legal Landscape Approaches News

Overview

Like many other parts of the country, Georgia’s growth has resulted in significant housing affordability challenges. Combatting housing affordability issues in the state will require effective solutions that address the needs of all Georgia residents.

Georgia has seen a sharp population increase, with 10.6% growth since 2010.

More than 1.1 million Georgians call an apartment home, with demand on the rise.

73% of extremely low-income renters spend more than half of their income on housing.

Between now and 2030, Georgia will need to build 12,000 new apartment homes each year to keep up with demand.

Legal Landscape

The state of Georgia preempts local municipalities from implementing rent control. According to the Official Code of Georgia: “No county or municipal corporation may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution which would regulate in any way the amount of rent to be charged for privately owned, single-family or multiple-unit residential rental property.”

CONTINUE PREEMPTION

Rent control is an outdated concept. It benefits the very few—and not necessarily those in greatest need.

REJECT PRICE CONTROLS

Lawmakers should reject price controls and, instead, pursue alternatives such as voucher-based rental assistance for those in greatest need to better address housing affordability.

Alternative Approaches

Many states have adopted programs and initiatives to tackle the affordability crisis. In Georgia, policymakers and the housing industry have made concerted efforts to address the problem. Examples include:

City of Atlanta Housing Affordability Action Plan

The Housing Affordability Action Plan aims to create or preserve 20,000 affordable homes by 2026 and increase overall supply by leveraging vacant public land for housing, creating and expanding housing affordability tools and revising the zoning code.

Housing Opportunity Bond Financing

The Housing Opportunity Bond Fund (HOB) was created to provide gap financing to address a growing need for affordable workforce housing units across the income spectrum for homeowners, builders, developers and community housing development organizations in the City of Atlanta.

Savannah Affordable Housing Fund

The Savannah Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF) was established to help leverage private investments, attract investors, fund construction and rehabilitation of housing, provide technical assistance to and provide capacity building for local developers.

Latest News

Georgia Article

Georgia to Receive $18 Million for New Emergency Housing Voucher Program

Abraham Kenmore with the Augusta Chronicle reports on how new targeted rental assistance funds are being deployed to help Georgians. As part of the American Rescue Plan, Georgia residents who are or were recently homeless, at risk of being homeless, or fleeing abuse will have access to special Emergency Housing Vouchers. “This is the first […]

June 21, 2021

Georgia Article