Local Issues

Update: Atlanta Development Moratorium/Housing Vouchers

March 6, 2020

As previously reported, the City of Atlanta swiftly moved a couple of pieces of legislation through the process last week including a moratorium on development in the Westside Park area and requiring landlords to accept housing vouchers. Below are updates on where things stand now.

Following the lead of the Mayor's executive order, the City Council approved an ordinance putting a developmental moratorium near the city's Westside Park. The Council did include exemptions, which include applications from owner-occupied primary residences, emergency situations, projects with certain affordability thresholds, and applications already received by the Department of City Planning.

In an effort to address affordable housing issues in the City, Councilman Antonio Brown introduced an ordinance that would require landlords accept housing vouchers as a source of income. As it stands, the ordinance is not set to go into effect for 6 months. However, after preliminary review of the ordinance, we have found that it is in direct contradiction to state law and will be found to be unenforceable if ever implemented.

Association staff is currently working with the city to come to a reasonable resolution to these issues and keep the city moving forward. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Governmental Affairs Director Aaron Johnson at (404) 732-0631.

About the ARA Market Brief

The Atlanta REALTORS® (ARA Market Brief is compiled by First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) and provides the only regionally focused synopsis of monthly sales and home prices for single-family residential properties. The Market Brief covers the following 11 counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Paulding, and Rockdale.

The data in this report was compiled by First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS). For more information on details of this month's report, please contact the Association at 404.250.0051.

*Each month, the numbers reported for the previous month are updated to reflect additional recordings.

About the Atlanta REALTORS® Association

The Atlanta REALTORS® Association (ARA) has been an instrumental factor in the growth of real estate in the state of Georgia for more than a century. With over 14,000 members, Atlanta is the largest association in Georgia and is considered to be one of the strongest and most successful REALTOR® organizations in the nation. ARA serves as a central source of information for its members, 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 First Multiple Listing Service

First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) is the premier data services provider for real estate professionals in Georgia. FMLS was founded in 1957 by a group of Brokers who wanted to share their listings and connect buyers and sellers.  Today FMLS is the largest MLS in Georgia & the 4th largest MLS in the United States, serving nearly 54,000 real estate Agents & Brokers.  For additional information or to start a discussion about how to partner with FMLS please contact join@fmls.com.

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