New bill aims to tackle Georgia’s affordable housing crisis

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - If you lease a house or apartment, you’re likely aware that rental prices are at an all-time high, making it challenging for the average person to afford a comfortable place to live.

Research in Georgia indicates a statewide shortage of approximately 200,000 affordable rental homes. New legislation aims to address this gap and increase the availability of affordable housing.

In a nutshell, the demand for affordable housing far exceeds the current supply. This bill aims to increase the availability of affordable housing across the entire state of Georgia.

“We aim to create some three million new units of housing. Both through new construction and renovation,” said US Senator Raphael Warnock.

The bill proposes a $10 billion competitive grant program designed to incentivize communities to renovate or rebuild older vacant units, whether houses or apartments. Robert Scott, director of Community Reinvestment, s this initiative, believing it to be a beneficial idea.

“I absolutely think this would be of help, especially in situations like in the city of Columbus, where the demand has far exceeded the supply,” said Scott. “Any investment of dollars towards this sociological problem would be welcomed.”

The program aims to reduce rent for low- and middle-income families by approximately 10%. Senator Warnock believes that there are sufficient housing options available; the key is to renovate older houses and apartments to make them livable, rather than leaving them vacant.

“Often, in some of these locations, we’ve got some old covenants that harken back to another era that have not kept pace with the world as we live in it today,” said Warnock.

“Affordable housing is not just a problem that’s affecting the city of Columbus,” Scott added. “It’s a national problem. There are many communities across the country who are struggling with the same exact issue.”

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