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ANDP Action
Network
Homestead bills win General Assembly approval!
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Atlanta’s low-
and moderate-income homeowners won a big victory in the
closing hours of the Georgia General Assembly legislative
session! On Friday evening, the General Assembly passed HB
1190, HB 1191 and HB 1192 to increase the Homestead
Exemption for the City of Atlanta, Atlanta Public Schools,
and Fulton County from its current level of $15,000 to
$30,000, phased in over three years, as proposed in the
Senate Substitute legislation. Under this legislation, the
owner of a $125,000 house will see their annual local
homestead exemption savings double from the existing $632 to
$1,264. Now, the bills go to the Governor for final
signature.
 "In
these uncertain economic times, the Atlanta-Fulton House and
Senate Delegations showed great leadership in striking a
balance between the needs of struggling homeowners and the
fiscal concerns of the impacted local governments," says
John O'Callaghan, ANDP President & CEO.
This legislation received tremendous positive momentum from
outreach efforts from ANDP's Action Network --- putting up
425 yard signs all over the city, sending letters from
concerned individuals and organizations, attending and
speaking at Delegation meetings, making phone calls and
sending emails to Legislators. Your voice on behalf of
struggling homeowners and neighborhoods suffering from
rampant foreclosure has made a difference.
Hundreds of individuals and many leading Atlanta
organizations also registered their support for the
Homestead legislation. Those organizations include: the
Atlanta Community Food Bank; Atlanta Habitat for Humanity;
Atlanta Housing Association of Neighborhood-Based Developers
(AHAND); Atlanta Investing; ANDP; Atlanta Urban League;
Charis Community Housing; Faith And The City; Georgia
STAND-UP; Georgia State Trade Association of Nonprofit
Developers (G-STAND), Greater Atlanta Homebuilders
Association; Progressive Redevelopment, Inc. (PRI)Red Brick
Homes; and Reynoldstown Revitalization Corporation (RRC).
"We are extremely appreciative of the efforts of our
legislators in the House and Senate as well as those
individuals and organizations who rallied to support this
important legislation," says O'Callaghan.
Also, legislation to provide Homestead Exemptions for
low-income seniors in the City of Atlanta and Fulton County
also won final passage in the General Assembly.
If you are interested in learning more about the legislative
activity that led to passage of the Homestead Exemption
legislation, Rep. “Able” Mable Thomas, a House co-sponsor of
the bills, will be addressing the Hungry Club Forum at the
Butler Street YMCA on April 16 at 12:00 p.m. Please visit
www.butlerstreetymca.org for more details.
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