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House committee advances Representative Berry's 'Better Georgia Without Blight' bill
Summary
The State Planning & Community Affairs committee voted to advance HP 753, the "Better Georgia Without Blight Act," after sponsor Rep. Berry outlined its goal to fund technical assistance and grants through the Department of Community Affairs to rehabilitate blighted properties into affordable housing; public comment from the Urban League supported the measure.
Representative Berry told the State Planning & Community Affairs committee that HP 753, the "Better Georgia Without Blight Act," would give cities and counties technical and financial help to rehabilitate blighted properties and convert them into affordable housing.
"It is the Better Georgia Without Blight Act," Berry said, reading the bill identifier and citing the legal definition in OCGA. He told the committee there are "over 582,000 blighted properties in the state of Georgia," and cited a National Low Income Housing Coalition estimate that the total represents about 15% of Georgia's properties.
Berry outlined the bill's process: local inspection, written notice to owners, a stakeholder meeting, an assessment of revenue loss to city and county governments, and a local commitment to rehabilitation before state assistance would flow. He said the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) would administer any funds and would be authorized to apply for outside grants.
Committee members asked for clarifications: Representative McLean pressed on the bill's automatic repeal date in 2031; Berry said the five-year sunset enables evaluation and possible renewal. Representative Wade asked whether the bill changes the statutory definition or local powers; Berry said it does not and that local authorities retain their existing powers, including eminent domain.
John Moy, senior director for policy at the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, testified in support, calling blight a threat to public safety and local economies and urging passage. After brief discussion the committee took a voice vote; the chair declared, "You have your bill," signaling the measure was approved by the committee.
The bill text referenced by the sponsor cites OCGA chapter 8 section 4 subsection 8 for the legal definition of blight and includes reporting requirements to the General Assembly and the governor. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; the advancement was taken by voice vote.
