---
title: HB 1052. Student Housing Affordability Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1052
cite_as: HB 1052, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1052
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1052.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1052/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72389
date: 2026-01-29
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1052.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1052
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-01-27
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Bryce Berry
- Akbar Ali
- Stacey Evans
- Gabriel Sanchez
- Karen Lupton
- Eric Gisler
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1052/2025
upstream_id: 2095244
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- student housing
- college affordability
- financial aid
- higher education funding
---
# HB 1052. Student Housing Affordability Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 1052
By: Representatives Berry of the 56th, Ali of the 106th, Evans of the 57th, Sanchez of the 42nd,
Lupton of the 83rd, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, so as to establish a financial
aid program to provide grants to eligible students to assist with off-campus housing
expenses; to provide definitions; to provide for a maximum award amount; to provide for
applications; to provide for rules, regulations, and procedures; to provide for a short title; to
provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Student Housing Affordability Act."
SECTION 2.
Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, is amended by adding a new subpart to
read as follows:
"Subpart 2B
20-3-367.
As used in this subpart, the term:
(1) 'Commission' means the Georgia Student Finance Commission.
(2) 'Cost of attendance' means the amount defined by the eligible postsecondary
institution for the purpose of the guaranteed student loan program as defined in Title IV
of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. Section 1071, et seq. as of January 1,
2026.
(3) 'Eligible postsecondary institution' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code
Section 20-3-519.
(4) 'Eligible student' means a person:
(A) Who is enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution;
(B) Who is not living in on-campus housing;
(C) Who is eligible for a scholarship or grant pursuant to Code Section 20-3-519.1; and
(D) Who has completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
20-3-368.
(a) Subject to appropriations, the commission shall establish a financial aid program to
provide grants to eligible students to assist with off-campus housing expenses. The
maximum award per eligible student shall not exceed the difference between the cost of
on-campus housing and the cost of off-campus housing of the eligible postsecondary
institution attended by such eligible student as included in the cost of attendance for such
postsecondary institution.
(b) Each eligible student wishing to receive a grant pursuant to this subpart shall submit
a grant application in accordance with the rules, regulations, and procedures prescribed by
the commission. The commission is authorized to prescribe such rules, regulations, and
procedures as may be reasonable and necessary to carry out the purposes of this subpart.
In the event a student on whose behalf a grant is paid does not enroll as a full-time or
part-time student for the academic semester for which the grant is paid, the eligible
postsecondary institution shall make a refund to the commission in accordance with the
rules, regulations, and procedures of the commission."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 1052 would create a state grant program through the Georgia Student Finance Authority to help college students who live off campus cover housing costs.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia currently offers scholarships and grants to eligible students through the Georgia Student Finance Authority, but there is no dedicated program covering the cost gap between on-campus and off-campus housing. This bill, called the Student Housing Affordability Act, would add a new subpart to Georgia law directing the Georgia Student Finance Commission to set up a grant program for students who live off campus.
To qualify, a student must attend an eligible postsecondary institution, not live in on-campus housing, already qualify for a scholarship or grant under an existing state program (O.C.G.A. ยง 20-3-519.1), and have filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The grant amount would be capped at the difference between on-campus and off-campus housing costs as calculated in the school's official cost of attendance. The program depends on the legislature actually appropriating money for it, and students who don't enroll for the semester the grant covers would have to have their school refund the money to the commission.
### What it does
- Creates a new state grant program run by the Georgia Student Finance Commission to help eligible students pay for off-campus housing.
- Limits eligibility to students who are enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution, live off campus, already qualify for an existing state scholarship or grant, and have filed the FAFSA.
- Caps each student's grant at the dollar difference between on-campus and off-campus housing costs listed in the school's official cost of attendance.
- Requires the commission to write rules and procedures for how students apply for the grants.
- Requires schools to refund grant money to the commission if a funded student does not actually enroll for the semester the grant covers.
- Makes the whole program contingent on the General Assembly appropriating (state funding) for it.
### Who it affects
College students in Georgia who live off campus and already qualify for state financial aid, the Georgia Student Finance Commission, which would administer the program, and eligible postsecondary institutions, which would help process applications and issue refunds for students who don't enroll.
### Why it matters
If funded, some Georgia college students who live off campus could get help covering the cost gap between on-campus and off-campus housing, potentially easing a real financial burden. But because the program only operates
### Key provisions
- Section 1 gives the Act its short title, the Student Housing Affordability Act.
- Section 2 adds a new subpart (Code Sections 20-3-367 and 20-3-368) to Georgia's student finance laws defining key terms like 'cost of attendance,' 'eligible postsecondary institution,' and 'eligible student.'
- Code Section 20-3-368(a) creates the grant program itself, subject to state appropriations, and caps the award at the on-campus versus off-campus housing cost difference.
- Code Section 20-3-368(b) requires students to apply under commission-set rules and requires schools to refund grant money if a funded student fails to enroll.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-01-27)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-01-29)
- Sponsors: Bryce Berry, Akbar Ali, Stacey Evans, Gabriel Sanchez, Karen Lupton, Eric Gisler
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72389
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1052.md?full=1