Georgia Senate committee promises to revise Homeowners Association regulations
In a bid to address long-standing concerns, the Georgia Senate held a hearing on Wednesday, discussing homeowners association (HOA) oversight and rent control laws. The gathering, led by the Senate Urban Affairs Committee, was not the first of its kind, as oversight issues related to HOAs have been a recurring topic in the Senate.
The hearing focused on three bills (Senate Bills 106, 107, and 108) that failed to gain traction during the previous session. State Sen. Sheikh Rahman, D-Lawrenceville, referenced investigations by a certain website into HOAs as a reason for his strong stance during the hearing.
Senate Bill 361, reintroduced by Chair Donzella James (D-Atlanta), is a key bill under discussion. If passed, it would give the Secretary of State's office power to oversee HOAs. This move is aimed at addressing the current lack of state, county, or city oversight that many attendees at the hearing have experienced, leading to unresponsive HOA boards and costly legal battles.
SB 106 aims to repeal a Georgia law that forbids local governments from regulating rent amounts. On the other hand, SB 108 would require associations to offer alternative dispute resolutions before filing a lien on a lot for unpaid assessments and make a lien inferior to liens for unpaid medical bills.
SB 107, meanwhile, would introduce monitoring of HOA board elections, annual registration for community associations, and certain laws for HOAs that are currently only stated in specific HOA bylaws.
State Reps. Viola Davis, D-Stone Mountain, and Kim Schofield, D-Atlanta, attended the hearing and asked homeowners questions. Both Davis and Schofield have advocated for changes to HOA laws in the House.
For those who wish to request investigations into specific topics, a submission form is available on the website. The website's podcasts are also accessible on platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
James had previously struggled to get other lawmakers to care about her bills regarding homeowners and renters, despite hearing concerns from hundreds of constituents. The strong turnout and continued discussions on the topic suggest a growing interest and urgency to address these issues.
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