A coalition of housing rights organizations in Georgia gathered at the state capitol on March 5 to advocate for legislation aimed at protecting residents from rising rents, problematic landlords, and evictions. Despite efforts from groups like Habitat for Humanity, progress on bipartisan bills has been slow, causing disappointment among advocates. Key bills, such as House Bill 689 to continue the Georgia Rental Assistance Program, failed to advance by the March 6 deadline. Advocates are pushing for increased funding for rental assistance and homeless prevention programs in the state budget.
Additionally, housing rights groups are supporting bills like Senate Bill 170 to create an Interagency Council on Homelessness and oppose measures that may harm tenants’ rights. There has been some success with legislation targeting investor-owned homes and out-of-state landlords, with bipartisan support for bills like House Bill 399. U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock has introduced federal housing bills to address the housing crisis in Georgia, including the Downpayment Toward Equity Act and the Rent Relief Act.
Warnock highlighted the need for bipartisan solutions to address the housing crisis, which is disproportionately impacting young people and renters. He also criticized private equity firms for exacerbating the issue by buying up housing stock and driving up rental costs. Warnock emphasized the importance of increasing housing supply to support generational wealth and ensure affordable housing for all residents.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
