Georgia CommonsSB 108: Property Owners' Associations; certificates of good standing for payment of annual assessments; provide
Última acción: 12 de enero de 2026 · Senate Recommitted
A Georgia Senate bill would require property owners' associations to give lot owners annual good-standing certificates and offer mediation before placing a lien on a home for unpaid assessments.
Los resúmenes de abajo son traducciones de resúmenes en inglés escritos por un modelo de IA (claude-sonnet-5) a partir del texto del proyecto de ley; no forman parte de él. El proyecto de ley está en inglés. Cite el texto, no el resumen. El texto almacenado es la versión Comm Sub, la más reciente que tiene LegiScan.
El resumen en español de este proyecto de ley se está preparando. Mientras tanto se muestra el resumen en inglés.
En lenguaje claro
Georgia law currently lets property owners' associations place liens on a lot for unpaid assessments (fees for shared community expenses) without first requiring any dispute resolution step. This bill changes that. It requires associations to give each lot owner, once a year and at no cost, a certificate showing whether all assessments have been paid in full. It also requires associations to adopt a written policy offering mediation, arbitration, or another neutral dispute resolution process before a lien for unpaid assessments can take effect, and bars a lien from forming unless that offer was made and honored if the owner requests it. The bill also requires both sides to act in good faith during dispute resolution, letting the wronged party recover attorney's fees if the other side does not, and it makes association liens rank below liens for unpaid medical bills. The changes would not apply to contracts signed before July 1, 2025 until they expire or first renew.
Qué hace el proyecto de ley
- Requires associations to issue lot owners a free annual certificate confirming their assessments are paid in full, within 45 days of the fiscal year's end.
- Requires associations to adopt a written alternative dispute resolution (mediation or similar neutral process) policy for assessment disputes and share it with owners yearly.
- Prohibits an association from creating a lien for unpaid assessments unless it first offers the owner dispute resolution and participates if the owner requests it.
- Requires all parties to act in good faith during dispute resolution and allows the wronged party to recover attorney's fees if the other side does not.
- Lowers the priority of association liens below liens for unpaid medical bills, meaning medical debt would be paid first from those liens.
- Exempts contracts signed before July 1, 2025 from the new rules until they expire or are first renewed.
A quién afecta
Homeowners in Georgia communities governed by property owners' associations, the associations and their management companies, and lot owners who fall behind on assessments and may face liens. Owners with unpaid medical debt and their creditors are also affected by the new lien priority rules.
Por qué importa
Homeowners would gain a formal, free way to challenge disputed fees through mediation before an association can place a lien on their property, and would get yearly proof their account is current. Associations would face new administrative duties and could owe attorney's fees if they do not negotiate in good faith.
Disposiciones clave
- Section 1 adds a requirement to O.C.G.A. § 44-3-225 that associations issue free annual good-standing certificates to lot owners within 45 days of the fiscal year's end.
- Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 44-3-232 so a lien only attaches once the association completes the new dispute resolution requirements, and adds unpaid medical bill liens to the list of claims that outrank the association's lien.
- Section 3 creates new Code Section 44-3-232.2, defining alternative dispute resolution and requiring associations to adopt a fair, prompt, and free dispute resolution policy for assessment disputes.
- Section 3 also bars formation of a lien unless the association offered and, if requested, participated in dispute resolution, and allows recovery of attorney's fees for bad-faith conduct in that process.
- Section 4 states the Act does not apply to contracts entered into before July 1, 2025 until they expire or are first renewed.
Del proyecto de ley
“the association or its authorized agent shall provide the lot owner a certificate stating that such lot is in good standing within 45 days of the end of each fiscal year and without cost to the lot owner.”
“the lien for unpaid assessments or other charges as provided for in Code Section 44-3-225 shall not be created unless the association offers the lot owner participation in alternative dispute resolution”
“the aggrieved party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees incurred as a result of participating in such alternative dispute resolution.”
Cronología del estado
- Senate Recommitted (Senado)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senado)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
- Senate Hopper (Senado)
Patrocinadores
- Donzella James (D, SD-028)
- Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
- Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
- RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
- Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
- Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
- Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
- Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
- Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
- Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
- Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
- Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
Temas
- property owners associations
- homeowner liens
- dispute resolution
- property taxes and liens
- homeowner rights