04/19/2024
As a Realtor, a dues paying agent member of the National, Georgia & Metro South Association of Realtors, I'm proud to report on the work of our GA association's efforts to bring value to the property owners of Georgia.
House Bill 1017 came thru the GA legislature this past session, as reported by GAR:
"HB 1017
In the past year, there has been an explosion of issues revolving around squatters, especially in the metro area. In fact, Atlanta was recently named the No. 1 city in the nation for squatters. Oftentimes, when a squatter sets up shop in a person's property, it takes months, and thousands in legal fees, to eventually remove the unwelcome occupant.
The main complication of removing the squatters is the current backlog in Superior Court. Superior Courts can take 6-9 months to act on a regular eviction case. This fact became common knowledge that squatters were able to leverage. When law enforcement came to remove them, the squatter was able to present a fake lease and claim that he/she was a legitimate tenant. At that point, in the eyes of law enforcement, that situation now becomes a landlord-tenant situation that has to be taken up in Superior Court, so their hands are now tied.
To fix this, squatting will now be added to the criminal trespassing statute. The cases will now go to Magistrate Court, which can deal with them immediately. Once you have an order from the judge, law enforcement returns to the house to give the squatters 3 days to vacate. In the event the squatter(s) do not vacate, law enforcement can now remove them. Either way, the squatter can now be arrested and fined for a misdemeanor. The squatter could also be required by the judge to pay the landlord back for the lost rent.
The lobby team wants to thank you for your help on this bill. GAR sent out a statewide Call For Action (CFA) during the final weeks of the Legislative Session to ensure this bill made it over the finish line. The Georgia REALTORS® not only answered, but answered in mass! The CFA received 2,213 responses. The lobby team has a large presence at the Capitol, but there is nothing that makes a bigger impression on lawmakers than hearing the voice of their constituents, so THANK YOU for sharing your stories!
House Sponsor: Rep. Devan Seabaugh
Senate Sponsor: Sen. Ed Setzler
Status: Headed to the Governor’s desk"
