Bill > HB689

This bill establishes a new homelessness prevention program within Georgia's housing trust fund, expanding the existing framework to address housing instability for low-income individuals. The bill defines a "homelessness prevention program" as an initiative aimed at preventing homelessness, supporting housing stability, and avoiding evictions for low-income persons. By January 1, 2026, the state commission must develop an application process and publish statewide minimum standards for these programs. Eligible programs can provide services such as emergency rental assistance, legal representation in eviction proceedings, mediation services, and creating centralized application portals for assistance. Qualified sponsors can include legal service agencies, mediation providers, organizations offering unified assistance application processes, local housing authorities, and other organizations deemed appropriate by the commission. The bill allows the commission to accept federal, state, and private funding for these programs and requires that each funded program sign a contract with financial assurances. The approval criteria for programs will consider factors like the number of people likely to be helped, the ability to leverage additional resources, geographic distribution of existing programs, and the quality of proposed assistance. This legislation represents a comprehensive approach to proactively addressing homelessness by supporting various intervention strategies at the local level.

Government Affairs

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71024