State Issues
HB 1017 Passes Georgia Senate
March 27, 2024
A news outlet recently rated Atlanta as the #1 city for squatters, but this problem is not exclusive to metro Atlanta. House Bill 1017, which is now on its way to the Governor’s desk, will immediately provide much-needed relief to property owners, tenants, law enforcement, and Georgia's court system. HB 1017 will:
- Codify the crime of squatting in the criminal trespass statute and make the crime a misdemeanor.
- Provide a definite timeline for law enforcement to demand the removal of the squatter and then return to forcibly remove the squatter, if necessary.
- Remove squatting cases from Superior Court, which have case backlogs of six to nine months in some Metro Atlanta counties.
- Allow the property owner to seek monetary relief from the squatter if convicted.
All across Georgia, squatters have become a huge problem for property owners and tenants. They are illegally taking over properties, destroying them, causing havoc, and increasing crime in our neighborhoods.
These properties held up by squatters could be put out for rent or put up for sale in our critical housing shortage, but owners cannot get their own properties back. In many counties, the Superior Court is so backed up with eviction cases that they can't even take on squatting issues, meaning the squatters can drag out the process for months.
If signed by the Governor, this bill will give Georgia property owners and the courts clarity to address the squatters issue.
About the GRBOR Market Brief
The Greater Rome Board of REALTORS® (GRBOR) Market Brief is compiled by Georgia Multiple Listing Service (GAMLS).For more information on details of this month's report, please contact the Board at 404.845.4025.
*Each month, the numbers reported for the previous month are updated to reflect additional recordings.
About the Greater Rome Board of REALTORS®
The Greater Rome Board of REALTORS® (GRBOR) has been an instrumental factor in the growth of real estate in Floyd County, Georgia for more than a decade. GRBOR serves as a central source of information for its members, with mainly focusing on real estate education, the promotion of professionalism in the industry and representing REALTORS® members with legislative initiatives to create positive change for the real estate community.
About Georgia Multiple Listing Service
Since 1962 Georgia MLS has been providing real estate professionals with exceptional service, proven technology solutions, and unmatched value. With a laser-sharp focus on making the day-to-day tasks of our MLS subscribers more functional, more productive, and more profitable, we continue to implement the service blueprint that has led to our continued growth. For additional information or to start a discussion about how to partner with GAMLS please contact georgiamls@gamls.com.