HB 707: Landlord and tenant; limitations on rent increases for seniors and veterans; provide

Georgia law currently has no statewide cap on how much a landlord can raise rent when renewing or entering a new lease. House Bill 707 would add a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-25) creating a rent-increase limit that applies only to a specific group of tenants: people who are 62 or older, veterans, or both, and whose main income comes from Social Security or Veterans' Benefits Act payments, including retirement, survivor's, supplemental security income, or disability benefits. For those tenants, a landlord could not raise rent over a 12-month period by more than the lower of two amounts: 5% plus the change in the Consumer Price Index (a measure of inflation), or a flat 10%. If a landlord charges more than that, the tenant could raise it as a defense in an eviction (dispossessory) case. The rule would apply to leases signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2025, and the whole Code section would automatically expire on January 1, 2035.

• Creates a new rent-increase cap for tenants who are 62 or older, veterans, or both, and who rely on Social Security or veterans' benefits as their main income.
• Limits annual rent increases for those qualifying tenants to the lower of 5% plus the Consumer Price Index change or a flat 10%, whichever is less.
• Lets a qualifying tenant raise an illegal rent increase as an affirmative defense and counterclaim if the landlord tries to evict them through a dispossessory action.
• Automatically repeals the entire new rent-cap provision on January 1, 2035.
• Applies only to residential leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2025.

Landlords who rent dwelling units to tenants 62 or older or to veterans whose primary income is Social Security or VA benefits, and the tenants themselves. Other renters without those characteristics, and commercial leases, are not covered by this new rent cap.

Qualifying senior and veteran tenants on fixed incomes would gain a predictable ceiling on rent increases and a legal defense if a landlord tries to evict them over an illegal rent hike, while landlords renting to this group would face a new limit on how much they can raise rent each year.

• Section 1 adds O.C.G.A. § 44-7-25, defining 'dwelling unit,' 'landlord,' 'rent,' 'rental agreement,' 'tenant,' and 'veteran' for purposes of the new rent cap.
• Subsection (a)(5) limits covered tenants to those 62 or older or veterans whose primary income is Social Security or Veterans' Benefits Act payments.
• Subsection (b) caps rent increases over any 12-month period at the lower of 5% plus the CPI change or a flat 10% of the lowest rent charged in the prior 12 months.
• Subsection (c) makes an excessive rent increase an affirmative defense and counterclaim in eviction (dispossessory) proceedings against a covered tenant.
• Subsection (d) automatically repeals the new Code section on January 1, 2035.
• Section 2 applies the law to residential leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2025.

1. 2025-03-06House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-03-04House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-03-03House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Solomon Adesanya (D, HD-043)Patrocinador principal
• Terry Cummings (D, HD-039)
• Marvin Lim (D, HD-098)

• rent increases
• landlord and tenant law
• senior housing
• veterans
• tenant protections