Georgia CommonsHB 689: Housing; establish a homelessness prevention program
Comm Sub version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action March 31, 2026 · Engrossed
The text as LegiScan holds it, read from the PDF the legislature publishes with its margin line numbers, running heads, and page footers removed. Line breaks are joined into paragraphs here; no word is changed.
Underlined words are what the bill adds to current law and struck-through words are what it removes, as the printed bill shows them.
The Senate Committee on Government Oversight offered the following substitute to HB 689:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 5 of Chapter 3 of Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to housing trust fund for the homeless, so as to establish a homelessness prevention program; to provide for an application process and minimum standards; to provide for the use of certain funds; to provide for disbursements; to require contracts and assurances; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 5 of Chapter 3 of Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to housing trust fund for the homeless, is amended by revising paragraph (5) of and adding a new paragraph to Code Section 8-3-301, relating to definitions, as follows: "(2.1) 'Homelessness prevention program' means a program that:
(A) Aims to prevent homelessness, support housing stability among low-income persons, and avoid evictions for low-income persons;
(B) Is certified by the commission as meeting the terms and conditions established under Code Section 8-3-311.1; and
(C) Is otherwise ineligible for certification as a residential housing project or stable housing accountability program under Code Sections 8-3-310 and 8-3-311." "(5) 'Qualified sponsor' means a nonprofit, for profit, or governmental sponsor of a residential housing project, or stable housing accountability program, or homelessness prevention program that meets the conditions of this article. Such term shall specifically include, but shall not be limited to,:
(A) Legal services agencies that primarily provide free legal services to homeless or low-income persons;
(B) Providers of mediation services and resources aimed at eviction diversion and resolving dispossessory disputes for low-income persons;
(C) Any coalition of organizations providing a unified portal or single point of entry for receiving applications from low-income persons for emergency rental and related assistance, determining eligibility, and distributing support;
(D) Local local housing authorities established under Article 1 of this chapter and urban residential finance authorities established under Chapter 41 of Title 36.; and
(E) Other organizations as the commission determines are appropriate to prevent homelessness and implement the purposes of Code Section 8-3-311.1."
SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended by revising paragraph (4) of Code Section 8-3-308, relating to duties of commission, as follows:
"(4) Accept applications for disbursements of available moneys from the trust fund for residential housing projects and, stable housing accountability programs, and homelessness prevention programs in accordance with Code Sections 8-3-310 and, 8-3-311, and 8-3-311.1, respectively; and"
SECTION 3.
Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 8-3-309, relating to acceptance of federal funds and disposition, as follows:
"8-3-309.
The commission may accept federal funds granted by Congress or executive order, appropriations from the General Assembly, and gifts, grants, and donations from individuals, private organizations, or foundations for the purposes of residential housing projects or homelessness prevention programs. The commission may also accept appropriations from the General Assembly, federal funds granted by Congress or executive order, and gifts, grants, and donations from individuals, private organizations, or foundations for the stable housing accountability programs; provided, however, that in no event shall any such funds be accepted if there are conditions for the use of such funds in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this article. All funds received in this manner shall be transmitted to the state treasurer for deposit in the trust fund to be disbursed as other moneys in the trust fund."
SECTION 4.
Said article is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"8-3-311.1.
(a) With respect to homelessness prevention programs, the commission may authorize the disbursement of available money from the trust fund for any homelessness prevention program sponsored by a qualified sponsor under the terms and conditions of this article.
(b) The commission may consult, as appropriate, with persons with varied and diverse interests in housing in order to acquaint them with the trust fund and to solicit information relating to preventing homelessness, supporting housing stability among low-income persons, and avoiding eviction for low-income persons in ways that may not otherwise be addressed by residential housing projects or stable housing accountability programs under Code Sections 8-3-310 and 8-3-311, and to establish criteria for selection of homelessness prevention programs.
(c) The commission shall develop an application process for qualified sponsors to apply for funding to operate a homelessness prevention program.
(d) The commission shall publish uniform state-wide minimum standards for a homelessness prevention program. At a minimum, to be certified as a homelessness prevention program, the program shall build the capacity of a qualified sponsor to deliver homelessness prevention services, short-term rental assistance, and eviction diversion programs for low-income persons, or provide one or more of the following services:
(1) Delivering short-term emergency rental and utilities assistance to low-income persons;
(2) Providing legal services in representing low-income persons in dispossessory proceedings;
(3) Providing mediation assistance through an eviction diversion program to landlords and tenants who are low-income persons;
(4) Operating a portal or single point of entry for receiving applications for short-term emergency rental assistance for low-income persons, determining eligibility, referring homeless or low-income persons to organizations providing assistance for which they are eligible, or providing direct assistance to such homeless or low-income persons; or
(5) Such other purposes as the commission determines will further the goals of this program to prevent homelessness, support housing stability among low-income persons, and avoid evictions for low-income persons.
(e) The criteria for approving an application shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(1) The total number of homeless or low-income persons who are likely to receive assistance from the proposed homelessness prevention program;
(2) The ability of the applicant to leverage his or her own or other available money or in-kind services for the benefit of the proposed homelessness prevention program;
(3) The geographic distribution of existing homelessness prevention programs;
(4) The quality of the various forms of assistance to be offered to homeless and low-income persons by the proposed homelessness prevention program;
(5) The likelihood that the qualified sponsor will successfully fulfill the terms and conditions set forth in this article and the contract between the commission and the qualified sponsor; and
(6) Any and all other factors bearing upon the advisability and necessity of the proposed homelessness prevention program.
(f) The application process, minimum standards, approval criteria, and available funding for homelessness prevention programs shall be published and maintained on the website of the commission, which shall be hosted on the public website of the Department of Community Affairs.
(g) No funds shall be disbursed to a qualified sponsor until a contract is signed for the provision of the approved homelessness prevention program. Each contract shall require financial assurance from the qualified sponsor for full compliance with the contract."
SECTION 5.
Said article is further amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 8-3-313, relating to powers of commission, as follows:
"(a) The commission shall have the power to hold title to any residential housing project, or stable housing accountability program, or homelessness prevention program financed by it, but it shall not be required to do so."
SECTION 6.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.