22 Feb Stand up for Private Property Rights and House Bill 302

Written by: Home Builders Association of Georgia

Show your support: Click here to contact your State Officials and express your voice

As you know, local governments around the state of Georgia have enacted restrictive design requirements on new residential construction – adding thousands of dollars to the price of a new home with no public benefit regarding the safety or integrity of the home.

In many cases these restrictions apply to not only new subdivisions but to new in-fill lots as well. What used to be the purview of a Home Owners Association are now decisions made by city or county administrators with jurisdiction-wide application. What used to be years of planning for your “dream home” can now be changed in an instant by a government-sponsored architectural review board.

The Home Builders Association of Georgia has partnered with the Georgia Association of Realtors and other industry stakeholders to stand up for private property rights and the ability of Georgians to design their own homes to their own tastes. House Bill 302 has been sponsored by Rep. Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain) in the Georgia House of Representatives to do just that.

Of course, new homes will still be built to the rigorous standards of the state’s building codes. Of course, local governments will still be able to amend the state’s building codes to tackle local issues that are specific to local communities. Of course, historic preservation districts will continue to be protected by state laws.

Our state has a proven need for affordable workforce housing. These burdensome design requirements add unnecessary costs and prevent an important segment of the market from being able to afford the American Dream – homeownership.