Title 8

An authority shall have power to issue bonds from time to time, in its discretion, for any of its corporate purposes. An authority shall also have power to issue refunding bonds for the purpose of paying or retiring bonds previously issued by it. An authority may issue such types…

(a) Neither the commissioners of an authority nor any person executing the bonds shall be liable personally on the bonds by reason of the issuance thereof. (b) The bonds and other obligations of an authority shall not be a debt of the city, the county, the state, or any political…

Bonds of an authority are declared to be issued for an essential public and governmental purpose and to be public instrumentalities. All such bonds shall be exempt from state, county, municipal, or other taxation in the State of Georgia; and interest on such bonds shall be exempt…

Bonds of an authority shall be authorized by its resolution and may be issued in one or more series and shall bear such date or dates; mature at such time or times; bear interest at such rate or rates; be in such denomination or denominations; be in such form, either coupon or re…

The bonds of an authority may be sold at public or private sale in such a manner and for such price as the authority may determine to be in the best interest of the authority. History. Ga. L. 1937, p. 210, § 15; Ga. L. 1939, p. 126, § 3; Ga. L. 1951, p. 127, § 3; Ga. L. 1959, p. …

In case any of the commissioners or officers of the authority whose signatures appear on any bonds or coupons shall cease to be such commissioners or officers before the delivery of such bonds, such signatures shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes, the same …

Any bond reciting in substance that it has been issued by an authority to aid in financing a housing project to provide dwelling accommodations for persons of low income shall be conclusively deemed, in any action or proceeding involving the validity or enforceability of such bond…

In connection with the issuance of bonds or the incurring of obligations under leases and in order to secure the payment of such bonds or obligations, an authority shall have power: (1) To pledge all or any part of its gross or net rents, fees, or revenues to which its right then…

An obligee of an authority shall have the right, in addition to all other rights which may be conferred on such obligee, subject only to any contractual restrictions binding upon such obligee: (1) By mandamus, suit, action, or proceeding at law or in equity, to compel said author…

An authority shall have power by its resolution, trust indenture, mortgage, lease, or other contract to confer upon any obligee holding or representing a specified amount in bonds, or holding a lease, the right, in addition to all rights that may otherwise be conferred, upon the h…

The property of an authority is declared to be public property used for essential public and governmental purposes and not for purposes of private or corporate benefit and income. That portion of any housing project subject to a private enterprise agreement contemplated by subpara…

All real property of an authority shall be exempt from levy and sale by virtue of an execution; and no execution or other judicial process shall issue against the same nor shall any judgment against an authority be a charge or lien upon its real property, provided that this Code …

Notwithstanding any restrictions on investments contained in any laws of this state, the state and all public officers, municipal corporations, political subdivisions, and public bodies; all banks, bankers, trust companies, savings banks and institutions, building and loan associ…

At least once a year, an authority shall file with the clerk a report of its activities for the preceding year and shall make recommendations with reference to such additional legislation or other action as it deems necessary in order to carry out the purposes of this article. His…

This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Housing Cooperation Law.” History. Ga. L. 1937, p. 697, § 1; Ga. L. 2020, p. 493, § 8/SB 429.

It has been found and declared in Article 1 of this chapter, the “Housing Authorities Law,” that there exist in the state unsafe and insanitary housing conditions and a shortage of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low income; that these conditions necessit…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Federal government” means the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States of America. (2) “Housing authority” means any housing authority created pursuant to Article 1 of this chap…

(a) For the purpose of aiding and cooperating in the planning, undertaking, construction, or operation of housing projects located within the area in which it is authorized to act, any state public body may, upon such terms, with or without consideration, as it may determine: (1)…

In connection with any housing project located wholly or partly within the area in which it is authorized to act, any state public body may contract with a housing authority or the federal government with respect to the sum or sums, if any, which the housing authority or the fede…

(a) When any housing authority which is created for any city or county becomes authorized to transact business and exercises its powers therein, the city council or the county commissioners, as the case may be, shall immediately make an estimate of the amount of money necessary f…

The exercise by a state public body of the powers granted by this article may be authorized by resolution of the governing body of such state public body. The resolution shall be adopted by a majority of the members of the governing body present at a meeting of said governing bod…

The General Assembly finds and declares that housing is an issue of paramount concern to this state which affects the health, welfare, and safety of the citizens of this state and the economic viability and planned growth of its communities. The General Assembly further finds and d…

The General Assembly affirms the state’s policy to provide decent, safe, and affordable housing to all segments of the population of this state. The State Office of Housing is authorized and directed to develop a state housing goal and shall prepare a state housing goal report fo…

(a) The State Office of Housing shall award state or federal funds to construct single-family affordable housing for individuals and families of low and very low income only to persons whose application indicates that the affordable housing that is the subject of the application …

(a) It is the policy of the State of Georgia to provide, within constitutional limitations, for fair housing throughout this state. (b) The general purposes of this article are: (1) To provide for execution in the state of policies embodied in Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act o…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Administrator” means the administrator of the Commission on Equal Opportunity created under Article 2 of Chapter 19 of Title 45. (2) “Aggrieved person” means any person who claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice or…

(a) Except as exempted by subsection (b) or (d) of this Code section or Code Section 8-3-205, it shall be unlawful: (1) To refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dw…

It shall be unlawful to deny any person access to or membership or participation in any multiple-listing service, real estate brokers’ organization, or other service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings or to discriminate against suc…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “residential real estate related transaction” means any of the following: (1) The making or purchasing of loans or providing other financial assistance: (A) For purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing, or maintaining a dwelling; or…

(a) Nothing in this article shall prohibit a religious organization, association, or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised, or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society, from limiting the sale, renta…

(a) The authority and responsibility for administering this article shall be vested in the administrator of the Commission on Equal Opportunity. (b) The administrator may delegate any of the administrator’s functions, duties, and powers to employees of the Commission on Equal Opp…

The administrator shall commence such educational and conciliatory activities as in the administrator’s judgment will further the purposes of this article. The administrator shall call conferences of persons in the housing industry and other interested parties to acquaint them wi…

(a) An aggrieved person may, not later than one year after an alleged discriminatory housing practice has occurred or terminated, file a complaint with the administrator alleging such discriminatory housing practice. The administrator, on the administrator’s own initiative, may al…

(a) The administrator shall investigate an alleged discriminatory housing practice and complete such investigation within 100 days after the filing of a complaint unless it is impracticable to do so. If the administrator is unable to complete the investigation within 100 days afte…

Wherever a local fair housing law provides rights and remedies for alleged discriminatory housing practices which are substantially equivalent, as certified by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as provided in Section 810 of the federal Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1…

(a) The administrator shall, within 100 days after the filing of the complaint, determine based on the facts whether reasonable cause exists to believe that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur, unless it is impracticable to do so or unless the admin…

(a) The administrator may issue subpoenas and order discovery in aid of investigations and hearings under this article. Such subpoenas and discovery may be ordered to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as would apply if the subpoenas or discovery were ordered or …

(a)(1) When a charge is issued to initiate an administrative complaint under Code Section 8-3-211, a complainant, a respondent, or an aggrieved person on whose behalf the complaint was filed may elect to have the claims asserted in that charge decided in a civil action brought by …

(a) If the administrative law judge determines that the respondent has not engaged in a discriminatory housing practice, the administrative law judge shall state the administrative law judge’s findings of fact and conclusions of law and shall issue a final order within 30 days afte…

(a) Any party to a hearing before the administrative law judge may appeal any adverse final order of the administrative law judge by filing a petition for review in the Superior Court of Fulton County within 30 days of the issuance of the final order. The administrative law judge sh…

Any person affected by a final order of the administrator may file in the superior court of the county of the residence of the respondent a certified copy of a final order of the administrator unappealed from or of a final order of the administrator affirmed upon appeal, whereupon sai…

(a)(1) An aggrieved person may commence a civil action in an appropriate superior court not later than two years after the occurrence or the termination of an alleged discriminatory housing practice or the breach of a conciliation agreement entered into under this article, whiche…

(a) Whenever the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person or group of persons is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of any of the rights granted by this article or that any group of persons has been denied any of the right…

Any court in which a proceeding is instituted under Code Section 8-3-217 or 8-3-218 shall assign the case for hearing at the earliest practicable date and cause the case to be expedited. History. Code 1981, § 8-3-219, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1284, § 1.

A political subdivision of this state may adopt verbatim the laws against discriminatory housing practices cited in Code Section 8-3-202, 8-3-203, 8-3-204, 8-3-205, or 8-3-222 of this article as a local ordinance but may not expand or reduce the rights granted by this article. Hi…

The administrator may cooperate with federal and local agencies charged with the administration of federal and local fair housing laws or ordinances and, with the consent of such agencies, utilize the services of such agencies and their employees. In furtherance of such cooperati…