---
title: HB 1115. End Home Poaching Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1115
cite_as: HB 1115, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1115
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1115.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1115/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72643
date: 2026-02-03
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/hb1115.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1115
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-01-29
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Derrick McCollum
- James Burchett
- Tim Fleming
- Ron Stephens
- Chuck Efstration
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1115/2025
upstream_id: 2102295
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- housing policy
- corporate landlords
- real estate investment
- single-family homes
- property law
---
# HB 1115. End Home Poaching Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 1115
By: Representatives McCollum of the 30th, Burchett of the 176th, Fleming of the 114th,
Stephens of the 164th, and Efstration of the 104th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 3 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
regulation of specialized land transactions, so as to prohibit institutional investors and other
enterprises from obtaining, owning, or possessing an interest in more than 2,000
single-family residences; to provide a private cause of action against a residential home
poacher that obtains, owns, or possesses an interest in more than 2,000 single-family
residences; to provide an effective date; to provide 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 "End Home Poaching Act."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 3 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to regulation of
specialized land transactions, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:
"ARTICLE 8
44-3-260.
As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Affiliate' means any entity that directly or indirectly owns or controls, is owned or
controlled by, or is under any other common ownership or control with a residential home
poacher.
(2) 'Claimant' means an aggrieved person who seeks recovery of damages under this
article; provided, however, that such term shall not include a government entity or any
officer or employee of a government entity acting in his or her official capacity.
(3) 'Government entity' means any office, agency, authority, department, commission,
board, body, division, instrumentality, or institution of the executive, legislative, or
judicial branch of the state government or of any political subdivision within this state.
(4) 'Residential home poacher' means any institutional investor, corporation, association,
partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, trust, issuer, or other private
legal entity organized under the laws of this state, the United States, the District of
Columbia, or any other state, territory, or dependency of the United States or under the
laws of a foreign country engaged in obtaining, owning, or possessing, directly or
indirectly, including, but not limited to, through one or more affiliates or shareholders,
any interest in single-family residences.
(5) 'Single-family residence' means a parcel of real property that has upon it a detached
residential structure that contains between one and three individual dwelling units, each
of which is designed for the exclusive use and occupation by one family, or townhouse.
(6) 'Townhouse' means an individual residential dwelling unit within a larger structure
that contains two or more attached residential dwelling units constructed in a row where
each residential dwelling unit is designed exclusively for use and occupation by one
family, is located on an individual lot or parcel, and shares at least one common wall with
an adjacent unit.
44-3-261.
(a) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, any residential home poacher
obtaining, owning, or possessing, directly or indirectly, including, but not limited to,
through one or more affiliates or shareholders of such residential home poacher, any
interest in more than 2,000 single-family residences shall submit, between December 1 and
December 31 of each taxable year, a report under penalty of perjury to the state auditor
indicating the total number of single-family residences in which it possesses an interest as
of the date of submission.
(b) On and after January 1, 2027, it shall be unlawful for any residential home poacher to
obtain, own, or possess, directly or indirectly, including, but not limited to, through one or
more affiliates or shareholders of such residential home poacher, an interest in more than
2,000 single-family residences. Any claimant may bring a civil action in any court of
competent jurisdiction against a residential home poacher that violates this subsection to
recover the costs incurred by the claimant in bringing such action, including reasonable
attorney's fees, and the greater of actual damages caused by such violation or statutory
damages in the amount of $15,000 for each violation. For purposes of this subsection, each
single-family residence in which a residential home poacher obtains, owns, or possesses
an interest in violation of this subsection shall constitute a separate violation.
(c) An action pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section shall be brought within four
years from the last day a residential home poacher came to own or possess an interest in
one or more single-family residences in violation of subsection (b) of this Code section.
Such action may be brought in a representative capacity and may be the subject of a class
action under Code Section 9-11-23.
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no government entity or any
officer or employee of a government entity acting in his or her official capacity, including,
without limitation, the Attorney General, any district attorney, or any county attorney, shall
be entitled to intervene in an action brought pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section;
provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the filing of an amicus
curiae brief in such action.
44-3-262.
It shall be an affirmative defense to an award of monetary relief in an action brought
pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 44-3-261 if the defendant residential home
poacher in such action can demonstrate that:
(1) The claimant who brought such action can only recover statutory damages under
subsection (b) of Code Section 44-3-261; and
(2) The defendant residential home poacher no longer owns or possesses an interest in
the single-family residence that is the subject of such action, and has, during the
pendency of such action or no more than 30 days prior to the initiation of such action,
paid a judgment for the full amount of statutory damages provided under subsection (b)
of Code Section 44-3-261 that was awarded in a separate action for the same violation
of subsection (b) of Code Section 44-3-261 giving rise to the current action."
SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 4.
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 1115 would bar large investors and corporations from owning more than 2,000 single-family homes or townhouses in Georgia and would let private citizens sue violators for damages.
### Plain-language summary
This bill targets large-scale corporate ownership of housing, sometimes called institutional home buying. It adds a new article to Georgia's property law (O.C.G.A. Title 44, Chapter 3) defining a 'residential home poacher' as any corporation, investor, trust, or similar entity that owns or controls an interest in single-family homes or townhouses, whether directly or through affiliates.
Starting with taxable years on or after January 1, 2026, any such entity holding an interest in more than 2,000 single-family residences would have to file a yearly report with the state auditor between December 1 and December 31. Beginning January 1, 2027, it would become illegal for these entities to own more than 2,000 such homes at all. Anyone harmed could sue in state court for actual damages, or a minimum of $15,000 per home over the limit, plus attorney's fees, within four years of the violation. Government agencies could not intervene in these lawsuits, though they could file supporting briefs. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.
### What it does
- Creates a new legal category called a 'residential home poacher,' covering corporations, trusts, partnerships, and similar entities that own interests in single-family homes or townhouses.
- Requires any such entity holding more than 2,000 single-family residences to file an annual report with the state auditor starting in 2026, under penalty of perjury.
- Makes it illegal starting January 1, 2027 for these entities to own or control interests in more than 2,000 single-family residences in Georgia.
- Allows any harmed person (a 'claimant') to sue a violator directly, recovering actual damages or at least $15,000 per home over the limit, plus attorney's fees.
- Blocks government agencies, including the Attorney General and district attorneys, from intervening in these private lawsuits, though they may file amicus briefs.
- Creates an affirmative defense allowing a company to avoid statutory damages if it no longer owns the home in question and already paid a judgment for the same violation.
### Who it affects
Large institutional investors, real estate corporations, trusts, partnerships, and similar entities that own many single-family homes or townhouses in Georgia; renters and homebuyers who might sue such companies; the state auditor's office, which receives annual ownership reports; and government attorneys, who are barred from joining these lawsuits.
### Why it matters
If enacted, large corporate landlords would have to shrink their single-family home holdings below 2,000 properties or face lawsuits from private citizens seeking thousands of dollars per excess home. This could affect how much corporate-owned rental housing is available and who controls it in Georgia's housing market.
### Key provisions
- Section 2 adds Article 8 to Chapter 3 of Title 44, defining 'residential home poacher,' 'affiliate,' 'claimant,' 'single-family residence,' and 'townhouse' (O.C.G.A. § 44-3-260).
- O.C.G.A. § 44-3-261(a) requires annual reports to the state auditor from entities owning interests in more than 2,000 single-family residences, starting for tax years on or after January 1, 2026.
- O.C.G.A. § 44-3-261(b) bans owning more than 2,000 single-family residences starting January 1, 2027, and creates a private right to sue for actual damages or $15,000 in statutory damages per home.
- O.C.G.A. § 44-3-261(c) sets a four-year statute of limitations and allows class actions under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-23.
- O.C.G.A. § 44-3-261(d) bars government entities and officials, including the Attorney General and district attorneys, from intervening in these private lawsuits.
- O.C.G.A. § 44-3-262 creates an affirmative defense against monetary damages if the company no longer owns the home and already paid a judgment for the same violation.
- Section 3 makes the Act effective immediately upon the Governor's signature or becoming law without signature.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-01-29)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-03)
- Sponsors: Derrick McCollum, James Burchett, Tim Fleming, Ron Stephens, Chuck Efstration
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72643
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1115.md?full=1