HB 753: Better Georgia Without Blight Act; enact

Georgia local governments currently handle blighted properties largely on their own, often at high cost in code enforcement, public safety, and social services. This bill would add a new article to Georgia law creating the Better Georgia Without Blight Fund inside the Department of Community Affairs. The fund would offer financing, such as loans, loan guarantees, and matching grants, plus technical assistance to cities, counties, and consolidated governments working to rehabilitate blighted properties. The Department of Community Affairs would set eligibility criteria for applicants and properties, including a public inspection, written notice to the property owner, at least one stakeholder meeting, documentation of revenue loss, and evidence of local commitment to rehabilitation. The commissioner would run the fund and report annually to the Governor and General Assembly starting July 1, 2026. The whole article would automatically expire on June 30, 2031 unless renewed. Importantly, the law only takes effect if the General Assembly separately appropriates money for it.

• Creates the Better Georgia Without Blight Fund within the Department of Community Affairs to finance blighted property rehabilitation through loans, loan guarantees, and matching grants.
• Directs the department to set eligibility criteria for applicants and properties, including inspections, owner notice, and a stakeholder meeting.
• Authorizes the department to seek and use outside grants or funding from any government or other source for the fund's purposes.
• Requires the commissioner to submit a public annual report on the program's implementation starting July 1, 2026.
• Automatically repeals the entire new article on June 30, 2031 unless the General Assembly extends it.
• Makes the whole Act effective only if the legislature specifically appropriates money for it in a future budget bill.

Local, municipal, county, and consolidated governments seeking help rehabilitating blighted properties; owners of properties identified as blighted; the Department of Community Affairs and its commissioner, who would run the fund; and residents of communities with blighted properties.

If funded, cities and counties could get state loans, grants, and guidance to fix up blighted properties instead of shouldering the cost alone, potentially reducing code enforcement and public safety burdens. But because the law only activates once the legislature appropriates money, its real-world impact depends entirely on a future budget decision.

• Section 3 adds new Code Section 50-8-400 defining 'blighted property' by reference to O.C.G.A. § 22-1-1 and naming the commissioner and department.
• Section 3 (O.C.G.A. § 50-8-401) establishes the fund and names the commissioner of community affairs as its director.
• Section 3 (O.C.G.A. § 50-8-402) requires the department to set eligibility criteria, including property inspections, owner notice, stakeholder meetings, and proof of local commitment.
• Section 3 (O.C.G.A. § 50-8-404) requires an annual public report to the Governor and General Assembly beginning July 1, 2026.
• Section 3 (O.C.G.A. § 50-8-405) automatically repeals the new article on June 30, 2031 unless the General Assembly extends it.
• Section 4 makes the entire Act contingent on the General Assembly specifically appropriating funding for it in a future appropriations Act.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-03-20House Committee Favorably Reported (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-03-13House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2025-03-11House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2025-03-10House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)Patrocinador principal
• Spencer Frye (D, HD-122)
• Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
• Phil Olaleye (D, HD-059)
• Teddy Reese (D, HD-140)

• blighted properties
• community development
• local government funding
• property rehabilitation
• Department of Community Affairs