Black Atlantans and housing justice advocates have spent the past few years begging state lawmakers to do more to address housing-related issues like affordable housing shortages, rising rents, and low levels of homeownership among Black families.
In response, Georgia Democrats — who had difficulty turning out Black voters in November — made addressing housing issues one of their top concerns ahead of this year’s legislative session.
But Democratic leaders say most of the bills they introduced to deal with housing-related problems so far have failed to gain support from Republican leaders, who have majority control of the General Assembly and chair most related legislative committees.
A key deadline for the bills to gain support is Thursday, also known as Crossover Day. It’s the final day for any standalone bill to pass in either the state House or the state Senate. Bills that don’t pass in at least one chamber by Crossover Day won’t get signed into law this year (unless they’re added as amendments to bills that have been passed).
As of Wednesday, most of the housing bills introduced by Democrats were stuck in committee, where GOP committee chairs will ultimately decide whether to allow the rest of the lawmakers in their chamber to vote on them. Housing justice advocates say Georgians who want these measures to pass should contact committee chairs and state lawmakers in their districts and tell them to support the legislation.
Elexis Bernavil, a local Starbucks employee, was one of several Black Atlanta-area residents who demonstrated in support of rent control and other housing reforms outside the state Capitol in Atlanta last week along with housing advocacy groups including the Atlanta Housing Justice League and Georgia Advancing Communities Together.
“I can’t even afford to live alone, and I’m 25,” said Bernavil, who is living with a roommate to save money. “We’re living in inflation-ships. I have a relationship because I’m gonna have roommates until I’m 35, 45.”
Below is a list of housing-related bills that Black advocates in Atlanta would like to see lawmakers advance. Many were introduced by Black legislators from the Atlanta area.
HB 299 – Repeal statewide ban on rent regulation
Metro Atlanta housing justice advocates who want municipal lawmakers to limit how much landlords can charge for rent, by instituting rent control, are backing House Bill 299. The proposed law drafted by state Rep. Rhonda Taylor, D-Conyers, would repeal the statewide ban on rent regulation, which has been in place since the 1980s. A similar proposed law backed by state Sen. Donzella James, D-Atlanta, failed to pass in the state Senate in 2023 and 2024.
Supporters of HB 299 say it would give local elected leaders more power to affect rent in places like Atlanta, where it has priced out many lower-income Black households and forced some into homelessness.
The measure would permit local lawmakers to create rent control policies, which have allowed a percentage of urban dwellers in densely populated major cities like Los Angeles and New York to keep their rent below market rate for generations.
Critics of rent control argue it may reduce rent prices for some, but it could also inadvertently raise market-rate rent prices for others by reducing the supply of available units for rent.
As of Wednesday, HB 299 is still waiting for a vote in the state House Governmental Affairs Committee, which is chaired by state Rep. Victor Anderson, R-Cornela.
HB 305 – Protect the Dream Act
This proposed law, introduced by state Rep. Phil Olaleye, D-Atlanta, would make it illegal for wealthy investors to buy up all the single-family homes in Georgia. Black Atlantans lost nearly $700 million in home equity between 2011 and 2021, according to a Georgia Tech study released in 2023.
Many of those homes were sold to private investors, who have turned them into rentals. Experts say this practice reduces the supply of available homes for sale, which drives up housing prices, making it harder for families struggling to attain the quintessential American Dream.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has spent the past few years asking state and federal lawmakers to address the problem. HB 305 is also waiting for a vote in the state House Governmental Affairs Committee.
HB 374 – Monitor institutional landlords
This is another bill that aims to keep corporate landlords in check and limit their increasing control of local housing markets. HB 374 also seeks to hold delinquent landlords accountable for mismanagement, including housing code violations.
Blighted properties have been a major problem in Black Atlanta neighborhoods. The city of Atlanta created a blight tax last year to combat alleged slumlords who fail to keep their properties in good condition.
The legislation drafted by state Rep. Martin Momtahan, R-Dallas, would authorize local governments to create databases to monitor landlords owning at least 10 connected dwelling units in any jurisdiction. Housing justice activists have criticized revisions to the bill that increased the threshold for inclusion in the database and exempted landlords who own apartment complexes with more than 20 units, according to Atlanta Civic Circle.
The House Governmental Affairs Committee passed the revised version of HB 374 on Feb. 27.
HB 399 – Residential landlord in-state staff mandate
Tenants having issues with metro Atlanta apartments owned by landlords who live out of state sometimes have trouble contacting someone to address maintenance concerns and other problems when there’s no property management staff living in Georgia.
HB 399 requires out-of-state landlords who own at least 25 single family homes or duplexes here to have at least one in-state staffer available to address tenant concerns.
The proposed law drafted by state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, passed in the state House on Monday. It awaits passage in the state Senate before it can be signed into law.
HB 62 – The Georgia HOA Accountability and Community Empowerment Act
Georgia homeowners have spent years complaining about out-of-control homeowners’ associations, aka HOAs, imposing fees and foreclosing on houses with little to no government oversight.
HOAs are private, self-governed organizations that enforce sets of rules established by a group of community homeowners. They’ve been used to enforce racial covenants and maintain segregation.
HB 62, authored by state Rep. Sandra Scott, D-Rex, would create a set of rules for HOAs to “ensure accountability, enhance resident engagement, and protect the interests of community members.” It requires HOA boards to include at least three people and mandates board members live in the communities they govern. It sets rules for HOA elections, one of which requires them to take place at least once a year.
As of Wednesday, HB 62 remains in the Governmental Affairs committee.
