HB 779: Property; require landlords and managers of apartment buildings or complexes to provide local police and fire departments certain information

Currently, Georgia law does not require apartment landlords or managers to share after hours contact information with local emergency responders. House Bill 779 would add a new section to Georgia's landlord-tenant law (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14.2) requiring landlords or managers of apartment buildings or complexes to give local police and fire departments current after hours maintenance and management phone numbers. Landlords who fail to provide this information would face a $2,000 fine per violation, plus additional fines every five days the violation continues. If police or fire departments contact a landlord or manager and get no response within one hour, the landlord or manager would be fined $5,000. All fines collected under this section would go to the Clayton County Public Schools Homeless Education Department. The law would take effect July 1, 2025, and apply to violations occurring on or after that date.

• Requires landlords and managers of apartment buildings or complexes to give local police and fire departments current after hours maintenance and management phone numbers.
• Sets a $2,000 fine per violation for failing to provide this contact information.
• Adds an additional fine for every five days a landlord or manager remains in violation.
• Requires landlords or managers to respond to police or fire department communications within one hour or face a $5,000 fine.
• Directs all fines collected under this section to be paid into the Clayton County Public Schools Homeless Education Department.
• Sets an effective date of July 1, 2025, applying to violations occurring on or after that date.

Landlords and managers of apartment buildings or complexes across Georgia, local police and fire departments who would receive the contact information, and indirectly the Clayton County Public Schools Homeless Education Department, which would receive any fines collected.

Emergency responders would have a guaranteed way to reach someone responsible for a building during off hours, which could speed up responses to fires, break-ins, or maintenance emergencies. Landlords and managers who ignore the requirement or fail to respond quickly could face significant financial penalties.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 44-7-14.2 requiring apartment landlords or managers to give local police and fire departments after hours maintenance and management phone numbers.
• Subsection (b) sets a $2,000 fine per violation for not providing the required contact information.
• Subsection (c) adds a recurring fine for every five days a landlord or manager continues to be in violation.
• Subsection (d) requires a response within one hour to communications from police or fire departments, with a $5,000 fine for failing to respond.
• Subsection (e) directs that all fines collected under this section go to the Clayton County Public Schools Homeless Education Department.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, applying only to violations occurring on or after that date.

1. 2025-03-21House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-03-20House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-03-18House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)Patrocinador principal
• Eric Bell (D, HD-075)
• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)
• Robert Flournoy (D, HD-074)
• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)
• Rhonda Burnough (D, HD-077)

• landlord tenant law
• apartment safety
• emergency response
• rental housing regulation