HB 1451: Community Affairs, Department of; local governments and nonprofit organizations to incentivize households to relocate from outside this state to local governments in this state; provide

Georgia currently has no state grant program specifically aimed at recruiting new residents from other states. This bill would create one inside the Department of Community Affairs. Local governments and nonprofit organizations focused on economic development, workforce development, or community development could apply for grants to run 'talent recruitment' programs that offer incentives to out-of-state households willing to relocate to a Georgia local government. Applicants would have to submit a plan detailing costs, a target number of households to recruit, expected tax impact, and expected economic impact, and cover at least 20 percent of the program's cost themselves. Households would qualify only if they live outside Georgia, earn at least $55,000 a year, and apply directly to the grant recipient. The department would pay grants in two installments tied to meeting recruitment goals, and would write rules to administer the program. Funding depends on future state appropriations.

• Creates a new grant program at the Department of Community Affairs to fund local government and nonprofit efforts to recruit households from other states.
• Limits grant eligibility to local governments and nonprofits whose mission includes economic development, workforce development, or community development.
• Requires grant applicants to submit a plan covering program costs, a household relocation goal, and expected tax and economic impact.
• Requires grant recipients to cover at least 20 percent of their program's cost themselves, through local funds or in-kind donations.
• Sets a $55,000 minimum household income requirement for any relocating household to qualify for incentives.
• Splits grant payments in half, releasing the second half only if the recipient meets at least half of its stated household relocation goal.

The Department of Community Affairs, which would run the new program; Georgia counties, cities, and consolidated governments and nonprofit organizations that could apply for grants; and out-of-state households earning at least $55,000 a year who might apply for relocation incentives to move to Georgia.

Communities seeking to grow their workforce or population could get state money to offer relocation incentives to higher-income out-of-state households, but the program only funds recipients who put up their own matching money and meet recruitment targets, and it depends on the legislature actually appropriating funds.

• Code Section 50-8-320 defines key terms including 'household,' 'household goal,' 'local government,' and ties 'nonprofit organization' to the existing definition in O.C.G.A. § 50-18-160.
• Code Section 50-8-321(a) creates the talent recruitment grant program, subject to future state appropriations, open to local governments and qualifying nonprofits.
• Section 50-8-321(b) requires a talent recruitment plan detailing program costs, household goals, per-household grant amounts, and estimated tax and economic impact.
• Section 50-8-321(c) requires grant recipients to contribute at least 20 percent of total program cost, which can include in-kind donations.
• Section 50-8-321(d) requires semiannual reporting on applications, approved households, per-household costs, incomes, occupations, and economic impact.
• Section 50-8-321(e) sets household eligibility: living outside Georgia at application, household income of at least $55,000, and submitting an application to the grant recipient.
• Section 50-8-321(f) splits grant disbursement into two 50 percent payments, withholding the second unless half the household goal is met, and bars repeat grants to recipients who missed their prior goal.
• Section 50-8-321(g) directs the department to write rules and regulations to administer the program.

1. 2026-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
2. 2026-02-26House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-25House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-24House Hopper (House)

• Katie Dempsey (R, HD-013)Primary sponsor
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Joe Campbell (R, HD-171)

• economic development
• population growth
• local government grants
• workforce recruitment
• community development