HR656: HR656 House Study Committee on Expanding Home Ownership Opportunities for Georgians; create

This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Expanding Home Ownership Opportunities for Georgians. It responds to concerns laid out in the resolution's preamble, including that Georgia is ranked as the state most at risk for housing market disruptions from private equity investment, that a handful of corporate landlords own tens of thousands of metro Atlanta homes, and that median home prices in Georgia have nearly tripled since 2013. The committee would have seven members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker, who also names a chairperson. The committee can hold meetings as needed, study housing conditions and related issues, and recommend legislation. Members get standard legislative per diem allowances for up to five days unless more are approved, paid from House funds. The committee must stand abolished by December 1, 2026, and any approved findings or recommendations must be filed with the Clerk of the House before then.

• Creates a seven-member House study committee, appointed by the Speaker of the House, to examine home ownership issues in Georgia.
• Directs the committee to study housing stock conditions and the effects of institutional investment on home ownership.
• Authorizes the committee to recommend legislation or other action based on its findings.
• Sets a five-day limit on paid allowances for committee members unless additional days are specifically authorized.
• Requires any approved report or recommendations to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee is abolished.
• Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2026.

The resolution directly affects the seven House members who would be appointed to the study committee, House leadership responsible for appointments, and indirectly Georgians concerned with housing affordability, since the committee's findings could shape future legislation on home ownership and institutional property investment.

The committee itself changes nothing about housing law immediately, but its study and any resulting recommendations could shape future legislation addressing institutional investment in single family homes, rental prices, and home ownership access for Georgians facing a housing market the resolution describes as increasingly out of reach.

• Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Expanding Home Ownership Opportunities for Georgians.
• Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at seven House members appointed by the Speaker, who also designates the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study housing conditions and related issues and recommend action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless additional days are authorized, funded through House appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved findings, recommendations, or minutes to be filed with the Clerk of the House before abolishment.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2025-03-25House Second Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-21House First Readers (House)
4. 2025-03-20House Hopper (House)

• Phil Olaleye (D, HD-059)Primary sponsor
• Victor Anderson (R, HD-010)
• Mary Oliver (D, HD-084)
• Bruce Williamson (R, HD-112)
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)

• housing affordability
• home ownership
• institutional investors
• legislative study committees
• rental market