GA
Georgia House Bill HB400

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB400 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
OldNewDifferences
11 25 LC 55 0477
22 House Bill 400
33 By: Representatives Frye of the 122
44 nd
55 , Olaleye of the 59
66 th
77 , Washburn of the 144
88 th
99 , Bell of the
1010 75
1111 th
1212 , Roberts of the 52
1313 nd
1414 , and others
1515 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1616 AN ACT
1717 To amend Titles 12, 32, and 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
1818 1
1919 conservation and natural resources, highways, bridges, and ferries, and state government,2
2020 respectively, so as to provide for a system whereby certain local governments may seek3
2121 certifications from the Department of Community Affairs upon the enactment of certain4
2222 policies that can be used to receive priority in grant and loan applications submitted to state5
2323 agencies; to provide that the Department of Natural Resources give priority to certified local6
2424 governments in awarding grants under the federal recreational trails program; to provide that7
2525 certain certified local governments are not required to provide matching funds when8
2626 receiving grants under the local maintenance and improvement grant program; to provide that9
2727 the Department of Community Affairs give priority to certified local governments in10
2828 awarding grants and loans; to provide for the certification of local governments by the11
2929 Department of Community Affairs upon the enactment of certain policies; to provide for the12
3030 revocation of such certifications; to provide for the verification of such certifications by other13
3131 state agencies; to provide for the determination of population size and median household14
3232 income of local jurisdictions; to provide for statutory construction; to provide that the15
3333 Georgia Environmental Finance Authority give priority to certified local governments when16
3434 awarding grants and loans; to provide definitions; to provide exceptions; to provide for17
3535 H. B. 400
3636 - 1 - 25 LC 55 0477
3737 related matters; to provide a short title; to provide legislative findings; to provide an effective
3838 18
3939 date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.19
4040 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:20
4141 SECTION 1.21
4242 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Community Housing Options Increase22
4343 Cost Efficiency (CHOICE) Act."23
4444 SECTION 2.24
4545 The General Assembly finds and declares that:25
4646 (1) Georgia is facing a housing crisis caused primarily by the interaction of a housing26
4747 supply shortage, construction labor shortage, lasting impacts from the COVID-1927
4848 pandemic, outdated policies and regulations, ongoing population shifts, economic stressors,28
4949 and market speculation;29
5050 (2) Such housing crisis poses serious immediate and long-term risks to the state and its30
5151 residents, with significant potential repercussions in arenas such as economic development,31
5252 homelessness, crime, poverty, health, and education, with such repercussions likely32
5353 compounding over time that could have intergenerational consequences;33
5454 (3) According to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, the cost of new home34
5555 construction in Georgia has risen by 35 percent between the onset of the COVID-1935
5656 pandemic and the current year, while affordable rentals declined by some 67,000 units, the36
5757 second highest drop of any state in the United States;37
5858 (4) The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has assessed that38
5959 homelessness in Georgia has reversed its downward trend and begun increasing for the first39
6060 time since 2011;40
6161 H. B. 400
6262 - 2 - 25 LC 55 0477
6363 (5) The National Low Income Housing Coalition has reported that housing shortages in
6464 41
6565 the United States have cost Americans more than 13 percent of potential GDP growth since42
6666 the 1960s, or nearly $9,000.00 in annual wages per worker;43
6767 (6) The nonprofit research group Up for Growth found that in 2023, Georgia ranked in the44
6868 second highest tier of states for housing underproduction, at 138,000 units below demand,45
6969 an increase of more than 2,600 percent over a ten-year period; and46
7070 (7) Therefore, this Act is needed to increase the supply of affordable housing in the state47
7171 by encouraging local governments to adopt policies and reforms that will promote the48
7272 construction of affordable housing and reduce the burden of outdated policies and49
7373 regulation on housing construction and the cost of housing to Georgia's citizens.50
7474 SECTION 3.51
7575 Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to conservation and natural52
7676 resources, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:53
7777 "12-2-6.1.
7878 54
7979 (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'qualified county or municipal corporation' shall55
8080 have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 50-8-310.56
8181 (b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, when reviewing applications57
8282 from multiple qualified counties or municipal corporations for the receipt of grant funds58
8383 under the federal recreational trails program administered by the department, the59
8484 department shall:60
8585 (1) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by61
8686 the Department of Community Affairs as a workforce housing ready community pursuant62
8787 to Code Section 50-8-311 over any such county or municipal corporation that has not63
8888 received any certification from the Department of Community Affairs pursuant to Code64
8989 Section 50-8-311;65
9090 H. B. 400
9191 - 3 - 25 LC 55 0477
9292 (2) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by66
9393 the Department of Community Affairs as a workforce housing ready expert pursuant to67
9494 Code Section 50-8-311 over any such county or municipal corporation that:68
9595 (A) Has not received any certification from the Department of Community Affairs69
9696 pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311; or70
9797 (B) Has been certified by the Department of Community Affairs as a workforce71
9898 housing ready community pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311; and72
9999 (3) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by73
100100 the Department of Community Affairs as a workforce and home ownership leader74
101101 pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311 over any such county or municipal corporation that:75
102102 (A) Has not received any certification from the Department of Community Affairs76
103103 pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311;77
104104 (B) Has been certified by the Department of Community Affairs as a workforce78
105105 housing ready community pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311; or79
106106 (C) Has been certified by the Department of Community Affairs as a workforce80
107107 housing ready expert pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311.81
108108 (c) When reviewing applications from multiple counties or municipal corporations for the82
109109 receipt of grant funds under the federal recreational trails program administered by the83
110110 department, the department shall not give priority to any county or municipal corporation84
111111 that has received a certification from the Department of Community Affairs pursuant to85
112112 Code Section 50-8-311:86
113113 (1) Over any county or municipal corporation that does not meet the definition of a87
114114 qualified county or municipal corporation; or88
115115 (2) If doing so would be contrary to the purposes of such program or would conflict with89
116116 any provision of general law, the Georgia Constitution, or any applicable federal law or90
117117 regulation."91
118118 H. B. 400
119119 - 4 - 25 LC 55 0477
120120 SECTION 4.
121121 92
122122 Title 32 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to highways, bridges, and ferries,93
123123 is amended in Code Section 32-5-27, relating to allocation formula development and94
124124 implementation, by revising subsection (d) as follows:95
125125 "(d) Funds allocated for the local maintenance and improvement grant program shall96
126126 replace funds formerly available under the local assistance road program and state-aid97
127127 program and shall be allocated by the Local Grants Division of the department to local98
128128 governing authorities as grants or otherwise according to a funding formula developed by99
129129 the division and the director. Such formula shall include considerations of paved and100
130130 unpaved lane miles and vehicle miles traveled and may include population, employment,101
131131 and local funding matches available, as well as other factors as may be determined by the102
132132 division and the director; provided, however, that no funding matches shall be required of
133133 103
134134 any county or municipal corporation that has been certified by the Department of104
135135 Community affairs as a workforce and home ownership leader pursuant to Code105
136136 Section 50-8-311. Funds allocated each fiscal year for the local maintenance and106
137137 improvement grant program shall be not less than 10 percent nor more than 20 percent of107
138138 the money derived from motor fuel taxes received by the state in the immediately108
139139 preceding fiscal year, less the amount of refunds, rebates, and collection costs authorized109
140140 by law and shall be used only for the purposes available for the proceeds of such taxes. 110
141141 Grants of such funds shall include provisions requiring adherence to adequate roadway111
142142 standards, accounting practices, and applicable transportation plans. Additional allocations112
143143 to this program from other funding sources shall be allocated subject to the requirements113
144144 for usage attached to such funds."114
145145 H. B. 400
146146 - 5 - 25 LC 55 0477
147147 SECTION 5.
148148 115
149149 Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended116
150150 in Chapter 8, relating to the Department of Community Affairs, by adding a new Code117
151151 section to read as follows:118
152152 "50-8-8.1.
153153 119
154154 (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'qualified county or municipal corporation' shall120
155155 have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 50-8-310.121
156156 (b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, when reviewing applications122
157157 from multiple qualified counties or municipal corporations for the receipt of grant funds123
158158 or loans under any grant or loan program administered by the department, the department124
159159 shall:125
160160 (1) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by126
161161 the department as a workforce housing ready community pursuant to Code127
162162 Section 50-8-311 over any such county or municipal corporation that has not received128
163163 any certification from the department pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311;129
164164 (2) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by130
165165 the department as a workforce housing ready expert pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311131
166166 over any such county or municipal corporation that:132
167167 (A) Has not received any certification from the department pursuant to Code133
168168 Section 50-8-311; or134
169169 (B) Has been certified by the department as a workforce housing ready community135
170170 pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311; and136
171171 (3) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by137
172172 the department as a workforce and home ownership leader pursuant to Code138
173173 Section 50-8-311 over any such county or municipal corporation that:139
174174 (A) Has not received any certification from the department pursuant to Code140
175175 Section 50-8-311;141
176176 H. B. 400
177177 - 6 - 25 LC 55 0477
178178 (B) Has been certified by the department as a workforce housing ready community142
179179 pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311; or143
180180 (C) Has been certified by the department as a workforce housing ready expert pursuant144
181181 to Code Section 50-8-311.145
182182 (c) When reviewing applications from multiple counties or municipal corporations for the146
183183 receipt of grant funds or loans under any grant or loan program administered by the147
184184 department, the department shall not give priority to any county or municipal corporation148
185185 that has received a certification from the department pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311:149
186186 (1) Over any county or municipal corporation that does not meet the definition of a150
187187 qualified county or municipal corporation; or151
188188 (2) If doing so would be contrary to the purposes of the grant or loan program or would152
189189 conflict with any provision of general law, the Georgia Constitution, or any applicable153
190190 federal law or regulation."154
191191 SECTION 6.155
192192 Said chapter is further amended by adding a new article to read as follows:156
193193 "ARTICLE 14157
194194 50-8-310.158
195195 As used in this article, the term:159
196196 (1) 'Accessory dwelling unit' means an independent residential dwelling unit that is160
197197 located on the same lot as a single-family home or duplex, regardless of whether such161
198198 independent residential dwelling unit is attached or detached from the single-family home162
199199 or duplex.163
200200 H. B. 400
201201 - 7 - 25 LC 55 0477
202202 (2) 'Cottage courtyard' means a series of attached or detached independent residential164
203203 dwelling units, each of which do not exceed 1,600 square feet and that share a common165
204204 outdoor amenity space.166
205205 (3) 'Duplex' means a single building that has two separate residential dwelling units.167
206206 (4) 'Flag lot' means a lot which has access to a public right-of-way by means of a narrow168
207207 strip of land, which is part of the lot.169
208208 (5) 'Higher density housing facility' means a multifamily structure that has a maximum170
209209 allowable number of residential dwelling units that is 10 percent higher than the current171
210210 highest maximum allowable number of residential dwelling units for a multifamily172
211211 structure within the jurisdiction.173
212212 (6) 'Household income' means all wages and income received by each member of a174
213213 household from all sources.175
214214 (7) 'Mixed use development' means a multifamily structure that also contains one or176
215215 more commercial units.177
216216 (8) 'Multifamily structure' means a building, other than a townhouse, that contains four178
217217 or more individual residential dwelling units.179
218218 (9) 'Qualified county or municipal corporation' means:180
219219 (A) Any county in this state that has a population of at least 50,000 or any municipal181
220220 corporation in this state that has a population of at least 6,500, each as determined by182
221221 the department pursuant to Code Section 50-8-313; or183
222222 (B) Any county or any municipal corporation in this state that has a median household184
223223 income of more than $115,000.00, as determined by the department pursuant to Code185
224224 Section 50-8-313.186
225225 (10) 'Qualifying policy' means any tier 1 policy, tier 2 policy, tier 3 policy, or tier 4187
226226 policy.188
227227 (11) 'Single-family home' means a building that constitutes a single residential dwelling.189
228228 H. B. 400
229229 - 8 - 25 LC 55 0477
230230 (12) 'Small multifamily structure' means a multifamily structure with between four and190
231231 eight individual residential dwelling units.191
232232 (13) 'Tier 1 policy' means a policy that:192
233233 (A) Imposes a minimum heated square footage requirement for residential dwellings193
234234 of 1,200 square feet or less in at least 50 percent of the area of the jurisdiction zoned194
235235 for residential use;195
236236 (B) Imposes a minimum heated square footage requirement for residential dwellings196
237237 of 1,200 square feet or less in all of the area of the jurisdiction that is zoned for197
238238 residential use;198
239239 (C) Permits the construction of a duplex on any parcel of land where the construction199
240240 of a single-family home is permitted;200
241241 (D) Imposes a minimum lot size requirement for land that is zoned for residential use201
242242 that is no greater than:202
243243 (i) The minimum lot size required by the rules and regulations of the Department of203
244244 Health for lots with on-site, nonpublic sewage management systems;204
245245 (ii) The minimum lot size required to comply with the requirements of Code205
246246 Section 12-5-134 for lots with private water wells; and206
247247 (iii) One-half acre for lots with access to public water supply and public sewage207
248248 management systems;208
249249 (E) Permits the use of all building materials that meet the standards of the International209
250250 Residential Code in the construction of new residential dwellings; or210
251251 (F) Permits the construction of an accessory dwelling unit on any parcel of land where211
252252 a single-family home exists.212
253253 (14) 'Tier 2 policy' means a policy that:213
254254 (A) Commissions a housing study to determine the need for the construction of214
255255 single-family homes and multifamily structures within the jurisdiction;215
256256 H. B. 400
257257 - 9 - 25 LC 55 0477
258258 (B) Permits the construction of townhomes in any area that is zoned for single-family216
259259 residential use;217
260260 (C) Permits the construction of cottage courtyards in any area that is zoned for218
261261 single-family residential use;219
262262 (D) Permits the creation of residential subdivisions with flag lots;220
263263 (E) Reduces the minimum road frontage requirements applicable to residential lots;221
264264 (F) Permits the construction of small multifamily structures in any area that is zoned222
265265 for residential use;223
266266 (G) Permits the construction of higher density housing facilities in areas that are served224
267267 by public transit and that are near places of employment, higher education facilities, and225
268268 other appropriate population centers, as determined by the governing body of the226
269269 jurisdiction;227
270270 (H) Permits the construction of multifamily structures or mixed use developments in228
271271 all areas zoned for commercial use; or229
272272 (I) Permits the use of single-stair construction in multifamily structures with up to five230
273273 stories.231
274274 (15) 'Tier 3 policy' means a policy that:232
275275 (A)(i) Imposes a minimum parking requirement of no more than one parking space233
276276 per residential dwelling unit for multifamily structures that are not served by public234
277277 transit; and235
278278 (ii) Imposes no minimum parking requirements for multifamily structures that are236
279279 served by public transit;237
280280 (B) Supports community land trusts that secure land for affordable housing238
281281 developments and that allow participation from community residents in the decision239
282282 making process of such land trust;240
283283 (C) Applies the International Residential Code to residential buildings that contain no241
284284 more than four individual residential dwelling units;242
285285 H. B. 400
286286 - 10 - 25 LC 55 0477
287287 (D) Imposes no setback requirements on residential dwellings or decreases the243
288288 minimum setback requirements applicable to residential dwellings by at least 25244
289289 percent;245
290290 (E) Imposes no height restrictions on residential and commercial structures or increases246
291291 the height restrictions applicable to residential and commercial structures by at least 25247
292292 percent;248
293293 (F) Imposes no density limits on areas zoned for residential or commercial use or249
294294 increases the density limits applicable to areas zoned for residential or commercial use250
295295 by at least 25 percent;251
296296 (G) Imposes processing time limits on applications for building permits;252
297297 (H) Reduces any permit or regulatory fee applicable to the construction of accessory253
298298 dwelling units or multifamily structures by at least 25 percent;254
299299 (I) Establishes an online platform for the submission and processing of building permit255
300300 applications; or256
301301 (J) Commissions a study to assess whether the current permit or regulatory fees257
302302 applicable to the construction of residential dwellings reflect the cost incurred by the258
303303 jurisdiction in processing such permit applications or carrying out such regulatory259
304304 procedures.260
305305 (16) 'Tier 4 policy' means a policy that:261
306306 (A) Permits the construction of multifamily residential structures in any area that is262
307307 zoned for residential use;263
308308 (B) Establishes measurable goals for the construction of affordable housing based on264
309309 projected population growth and regional job creation;265
310310 (C) Imposes no maximum lot coverage applicable to residential dwellings or increases266
311311 the maximum lot coverage applicable to residential dwellings by at least 25 percent;267
312312 (D) Does not require the creation of a homeowners' association, property owners'268
313313 association, or condominium owners' association for any new residential development;269
314314 H. B. 400
315315 - 11 - 25 LC 55 0477
316316 (E) Streamlines the process of approving minor changes to construction plans for270
317317 residential developments;271
318318 (F) Creates or joins a local land bank pursuant to Article 6 of Chapter 4 of Title 48;272
319319 (G) Encourages the collaboration with neighboring counties and municipal273
320320 corporations and nonprofit organizations in addressing regional housing needs; or274
321321 (H) Creates a public-private partnership with local businesses to reduce the land275
322322 acquisition costs on housing developments.276
323323 (17) 'Townhouse' means an individual residential dwelling unit within a larger structure277
324324 that contains two or more attached residential dwelling units constructed in a row where278
325325 each residential dwelling unit is located on an individual lot or parcel and shares at least279
326326 one common wall with an adjacent unit.280
327327 50-8-311.281
328328 (a) On or after July 1, 2026, and for the purpose of receiving priority in grant or loan282
329329 applications submitted to certain state agencies, any qualified county or municipal283
330330 corporation may, but is not required to, apply for certification from the department that284
331331 such county or municipal corporation is either a workforce housing ready community, a285
332332 workforce housing ready expert, or a workforce and home ownership leader. The286
333333 department shall, by rules and regulations, prescribe the form and manner of such287
334334 application for certification.288
335335 (b) The department shall only certify a qualified county or municipal corporation as a:289
336336 (1) Workforce housing ready community if such county or municipal corporation has290
337337 adopted, by ordinance or resolution, at least ten qualifying policies of which at least two291
338338 are tier 1 policies, at least three are tier 2 policies, and at least one is a tier 3 policy;292
339339 (2) Workforce housing ready expert if such county or municipal corporation has adopted,293
340340 by ordinance or resolution, at least 15 qualifying policies of which at least two are tier 1294
341341 policies, at least three are tier 2 policies, and at least one is a tier 3 policy; and295
342342 H. B. 400
343343 - 12 - 25 LC 55 0477
344344 (3) Workforce and home ownership leader if such county or municipal corporation has296
345345 adopted, by ordinance or resolution, at least 20 qualifying policies of which at least two297
346346 are tier 1 policies, at least three are tier 2 policies, and at least one is a tier 3 policy.298
347347 (c) Upon submission of an application by a qualified county or municipal corporation299
348348 evidencing that such county or municipal corporation has adopted, by ordinance or300
349349 resolution, the requisite number of qualifying policies as set forth in subsection (b) of this301
350350 Code section, the department shall issue the appropriate certification to such county or302
351351 municipal corporation. Thereafter, to maintain such certification, such county or municipal303
352352 corporation shall, every five years, verify in writing to the department that the requisite304
353353 number of qualifying policies as set forth in subsection (b) of this Code section are still in305
354354 effect in such county or municipal corporation.306
355355 (d) The department may revoke a certification issued to a qualified county or municipal307
356356 corporation pursuant to this Code section if it determines that such county or municipal308
357357 corporation no longer has in effect the requisite number of qualifying policies as set forth309
358358 in subsection (b) of this Code section or if such county or municipal corporation fails to310
359359 verify in writing to the department every five years that such policies are still in effect.311
360360 (e)(1) A qualified county or municipal corporation that has been certified as a workforce312
361361 housing ready community may, upon adoption of the requisite number of qualifying313
362362 policies as set forth in subsection (b) of this Code section, apply to the department for314
363363 certification as either a workforce housing ready expert or a workforce and home315
364364 ownership leader.316
365365 (2) A qualified county or municipal corporation that has been certified as a workforce317
366366 housing ready expert may, upon adoption of the requisite number of qualifying policies318
367367 as set forth in subsection (b) of this Code section, apply to the department for certification319
368368 as a workforce and home ownership leader.320
369369 H. B. 400
370370 - 13 - 25 LC 55 0477
371371 50-8-312.321
372372 Any state agency considering a grant or loan application from a qualified county or322
373373 municipal corporation may inquire from the department whether such qualified county or323
374374 municipal corporation has been certified by the department pursuant to this article. Within324
375375 a reasonable time after receiving such an inquiry, the department shall verify to such325
376376 agency whether such county or municipal corporation has a valid certification issued by326
377377 the department pursuant to this article.327
378378 50-8-313.328
379379 (a) On and after January 1, 2026, the department shall annually determine and publish on329
380380 its public website the:330
381381 (1) Median household income of each county and each municipal corporation in this331
382382 state; and332
383383 (2) Population of each county and each municipal corporation in this state.333
384384 (b) In making determinations of the median household income and the population of each334
385385 county and each municipal corporation in this state pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code335
386386 section, the department may rely on data and information provided by the United States336
387387 Census Bureau, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the337
388388 United States Department of Labor, the United States Department of Commerce, and any338
389389 other source the department determines to be accurate and reliable.339
390390 (c) The median household income and the population of each county and each municipal340
391391 corporation in this state determined and published by the department pursuant to subsection341
392392 (a) of this Code section shall be used to determine whether a given county or municipal342
393393 corporation in this state meets the definition of a qualified county or municipal corporation343
394394 under this article.344
395395 H. B. 400
396396 - 14 - 25 LC 55 0477
397397 50-8-314.345
398398 The department is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the346
399399 provisions of this article.347
400400 50-8-315.348
401401 Nothing in this article is intended to authorize counties or municipal corporations to adopt349
402402 or enforce any ordinance or resolution that is contrary to the provisions of general law, the350
403403 Georgia Constitution, or any applicable federal law or regulation. To the extent any351
404404 qualifying policy now or hereinafter conflicts with the provisions of general law, the352
405405 Georgia Constitution, or any applicable federal law or regulation, such policy shall no353
406406 longer constitute a qualifying policy and shall not be used to determine whether a qualified354
407407 county or municipal corporation may be certified, or continue to be certified, by the355
408408 department under the provisions of this article."356
409409 SECTION 7.357
410410 Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended358
411411 in Chapter 23, relating to the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, by adding a new359
412412 Code section to read as follows:360
413413 "50-23-5.1.361
414414 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:362
415415 (1) 'Department' means the Department of Community Affairs.363
416416 (2) 'Qualified county or municipal corporation' shall have the same meaning as set forth364
417417 in Code Section 50-8-310.365
418418 (b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, when reviewing applications366
419419 from multiple qualified counties or municipal corporations for the receipt of any grant367
420420 funds or loans from the authority as authorized by this chapter, the authority shall:368
421421 H. B. 400
422422 - 15 - 25 LC 55 0477
423423 (1) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by369
424424 the department as a workforce housing ready community pursuant to Code370
425425 Section 50-8-311 over any such county or municipal corporation that has not received371
426426 any certification from the department pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311;372
427427 (2) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by373
428428 the department as a workforce housing ready expert pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311374
429429 over any such county or municipal corporation that:375
430430 (A) Has not received any certification from the department pursuant to Code376
431431 Section 50-8-311; or377
432432 (B) Has been certified by the department as a workforce housing ready community378
433433 pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311; and379
434434 (3) Give priority to any such county or municipal corporation that has been certified by380
435435 the department as a workforce and home ownership leader pursuant to Code381
436436 Section 50-8-311 over any such county or municipal corporation that:382
437437 (A) Has not received any certification from the department pursuant to Code383
438438 Section 50-8-311;384
439439 (B) Has been certified by the department as a workforce housing ready community385
440440 pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311; or386
441441 (C) Has been certified by the department as a workforce housing ready expert pursuant387
442442 to Code Section 50-8-311.388
443443 (c) When reviewing applications from multiple counties or municipal corporations for the389
444444 receipt of any grant funds or loans from the authority as authorized by this chapter, the390
445445 authority shall not give priority to any county or municipal corporation that has received391
446446 a certification from the department pursuant to Code Section 50-8-311:392
447447 (1) Over any county or municipal corporation that does not meet the definition of a393
448448 qualified county or municipal corporation; or394
449449 H. B. 400
450450 - 16 - 25 LC 55 0477
451451 (2) If doing so would conflict with any provision of general law, the Georgia395
452452 Constitution, or any applicable federal law or regulation."396
453453 SECTION 8.397
454454 This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025.398
455455 SECTION 9.399
456456 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.400
457457 H. B. 400
458458 - 17 -