Title 8

(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…

It shall be unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of such person’s having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of such person’s having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment …

This article shall be known and may be cited as the “State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Act.” History. Code 1981, § 8-3-300, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 717, § 1; Ga. L. 2024, p. 168, § 1/HB 1410, effective July 1, 2024; Ga. L. 2024, p. 1052, § 1(b)(11)/SB 448, effective Ju…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Commission” means the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission created in Code Section 8-3-306. (2) “Homeless” means persons and families who have no access to or can reasonably be expected not to have access to either tradition…

The State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless is created as a separate fund in the state treasury. The fund shall be expended only as provided in this article. History. Code 1981, § 8-3-302, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 717, § 1; Ga. L. 2024, p. 168, § 1/HB 1410, effective July 1, …

The state treasurer shall credit to the trust fund all amounts appropriated or otherwise donated to such trust fund. All funds appropriated to or otherwise paid or credited to the trust fund shall be presumptively concluded to have been committed to the purpose for which they hav…

The state treasurer shall invest trust fund money in the same manner in which state funds are invested as authorized by the State Depository Board pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 17 of Title 50. History. Code 1981, § 8-3-304, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 717, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. …

The Office of the State Treasurer shall be authorized to draw a warrant or warrants upon the trust fund upon receipt of an order for payment of the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission, which order for payment has been approved by the Governor. History. Code 1981,…

(a)(1) There is established the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission which shall consist of nine members. Two of the nine members shall be the commissioner of community affairs, or his or her designee, and either the chairperson of the Board of Community Affairs o…

Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall receive the same expense allowance per day as that received by a member of the General Assembly for each day such member is in physical attendance at a commission meeting, plus either reimbursement for actual tr…

The commission shall: (1) Meet at such times and places as it shall determine necessary or convenient to perform its duties; (2) Maintain minutes of its meetings; (3) Adopt rules and regulations for the transaction of its business; (4) Accept applications for disbursements of ava…

The commission may accept federal funds granted by Congress or executive order, appropriations from the General Assembly, and gifts, grants, and donations from individuals, private organizations, or foundations for the purposes of residential housing projects. The commission may …

With respect to residential housing projects, the commission may authorize the disbursement of available money from the trust fund for residential housing projects sponsored by a qualified sponsor. The commission may consult, as appropriate, with persons with varied and diverse in…

(a) With respect to stable housing accountability programs, the commission may authorize the disbursement of available money from the trust fund for any stable housing accountability program sponsored by a qualified sponsor under the terms and conditions of this article. (b) The c…

Funds may be disbursed from the trust fund to pay expenses of the commission, to pay any and all operating expenses, and to pay for professional, technical, and clerical services provided the commission by the Department of Community Affairs or by other outside sources. History. …

(a) The commission shall have the power to hold title to any residential housing project or stable housing accountability program financed by it, but it shall not be required to do so. (b) The commission shall have the power to foreclose on any mortgage or security interest in def…

As used in this article, the term “home inspector” means any person, except an employee of a county, municipality, or political subdivision while engaged in the performance of the duties of his or her employment, who, for consideration, inspects and reports on the condition of an…

Every home inspector shall provide to the person on whose behalf a home or single-family dwelling is being inspected a written document specifying: (1) The scope of the inspection, including those structural elements, systems, and subsystems to be inspected; (2) That the inspecti…

Nothing in this article shall preempt a political subdivision from prescribing licensing requirements for home inspectors. History. Code 1981, § 8-3-331.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1997, p. 550, § 2.

Transfer of property to an authority. Resolution declaring need. Public hearings on adoption of resolution. Resolution as conclusive evidence of establishment. Powers of authority generally. Appointment of commissioners. Appointment of additional commissioner. Terms of office and…

Orders of administrative law judge. Appeal from order of administrative law judge; attorney’s fees and costs. Filing order of administrator in superior court and judgment thereon. Civil actions by aggrieved persons. Civil actions by Attorney General. Expediting civil actions. Ado…

Accounts and accounting. Duties of licensees, §7-3-30. INSTALLMENT LOANS —Cont’d Actions. Licenses. Notice. Required notice by licensee to department, §7-3-31. Advertising. False advertising, §7-3-10. Licenses. Duties of licensees, §7-3-30. Applications for licenses, procedures, …

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Redevelopment Law.” History. Ga. L. 1946, p. 157, § 1; Ga. L. 2024, p. 1052, § 1(b)(12)/SB 448, effective July 1, 2024. Amendments. The 2024 amendment, effective July 1, 2024, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct th…

An authority may borrow money or accept contributions from the federal government to assist in its undertakings and redevelopment projects. An authority may do any and all things necessary or desirable to secure such financial aid (including obligating itself, in any contract with…

Bonds or other obligations issued by a housing authority in connection with a redevelopment project pursuant to this chapter, which bonds or obligations are secured by a contract with the federal government for financial assistance, shall be security for public deposits and legal …

Notwithstanding any restriction or limitation on investments contained in any other laws of this state, any building and loan association, any savings and loan association, any investment company, or any insurance company or association is authorized: (1) To invest its funds in p…

It is found and declared: (1) That there exist in many communities within this state blighted areas, as defined in Code Section 8-4-3, or areas in the process of becoming blighted; (2) That such areas impair economic values and tax revenues; that such areas cause an increase in an…

As used in this chapter, the term: (1) “Blighted areas” means: (A) Areas in which there is a predominance of buildings or improvements, or which are predominantly residential in character, and which, by reason of: (i) Dilapidation, deterioration, age, or obsolescence; (ii) Inadeq…

Any housing authority established pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter 3 of this title, the “Housing Authorities Law,” is authorized to prepare or cause to be prepared redevelopment plans and to undertake redevelopment projects within its area of operation, in accordance with this ch…

An authority shall not initiate any redevelopment project under this chapter until the governing body, planning agency, or other legally designated and empowered public agency of each city in which any of the area to be covered by the project is situated has approved the redevelo…

(a) An authority may make land in a redevelopment project available for use by private enterprise or public agencies in accordance with the redevelopment plan. Such land may be made available at its fair value, which represents the value, whether expressed in terms of rental or c…