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Lawmakers hear plan for 21‑member interagency council on homelessness with three‑year sunset
Summary
A bill to create a 21‑member interagency council to coordinate state responses to homelessness was heard in subcommittee; advocates and housing groups testified in favor and lawmakers said the council would be sunset after three years for evaluation.
A state and local government subcommittee held a hearing on legislation to create a statewide interagency council to coordinate services for people experiencing homelessness.
Senator Jackson, the bill sponsor, told the committee she worked for years with people experiencing homelessness and described the bill’s goal as bringing state agencies together quarterly to develop a coordinated plan. The measure would establish a 21‑member council composed of state agency representatives and three representatives from service providers; the measure includes a three‑year sunset so the General Assembly can assess effectiveness.
Supporters said the council responds to audit findings and previous study‑committee recommendations that Georgia lacks a unified strategic plan for homelessness. Brian Nunez, senior policy associate at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the 2022 Senate study committee on shelter homelessness recommended a similar structure and that the Department of Audits and Accounts found gaps in coordination and spending. Elizabeth Apley of Enterprise Community Partners, speaking for a coalition of housing and supportive‑services groups, said homelessness has grown in recent years and that the council could improve how state programs and federal resources are used.
Senator Jackson said many agencies asked to be included and that the bill allows agencies to send designees rather than require agency heads to attend. She said the Department of Community Supervision requested participation because it serves people on parole or probation who may need services. When asked about representation for providers such as the Gateway Center, Jackson said the bill reserves three slots for service providers so groups like Gateway could be appointed.
Several legislators and advocates emphasized populations of concern cited in testimony: increases in senior homelessness, veterans comprising a significant share of the homeless population, and risks for youth aging out of foster care. Senator Jackson said the council would focus on coordination and accountability and noted that it was modeled on prior state efforts and similar councils in other states.
The subcommittee conducted a hearing and did not take a vote; the chair said the item was for hearing only and that the committee would continue the conversation in subsequent meetings.
