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Committee passes bill giving property owners a civil path when local governments decline enforcement; advocates warn it will criminalize homelessness
Summary
House Bill 295 would allow property owners or renters to seek damages or reimbursement when local governments repeatedly fail to enforce certain ordinances; the committee approved the bill 8–5 after extensive public testimony opposing the measure as likely to increase arrests of unhoused people and shift costs to litigation rather than housing.
The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee voted Wednesday to advance House Bill 295, a measure that would let owners or renters seek reimbursement or other remedies when a city or county declines to enforce certain local laws or ordinances—such as those addressing illegal camping, loitering, obstructing public ways and related offenses.
Vice Chairman Gaines, the bill sponsor, told the committee the intent is “to make sure that local governments are enforcing the laws on the books” and that financial consequences would “hit them in the pocketbook” to prompt enforcement. Gaines said the bill includes changes made after meetings with the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), including clearer language on “policy, practice or pattern” and a provision limiting repeated unsuccessful claims.
Opponents—including legal, housing and homelessness…
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