Ga. proposed legislation aims to rein in huge rent hikes

ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The average rent is increasing faster than it has in over 40 years, including more than 21% in Augusta.

Renters say landlords are raising their rates by hundreds of dollars, or in one case close to $1,000.

Savannah Solomon lost her husband two years ago, and then she lost their home after her landlord tried to raise her $1,375 monthly rent to $2,200.

“That’s a thousand dollars more than what I was already paying, and we were barely making that every month,” she said.

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She told the landlord she couldn’t pay.

She’s spent the past year looking for another apartment, but she hasn’t found anything she can afford.

“All of my children are at someone else’s couch,” she said. “I’m staying at a family member’s house. My daughter is living in her car.”

Across Georgia, people are calling for state lawmakers to pass rent-control legislation to keep landlords from making large increases.

According to census data, rent is up 37.8% in metro Atlanta, followed by Albany (up 30.1%), Savannah (up 26.6%), Augusta (up 21.4%), Macon (up 19.4%) and Columbus (up 9.1%).

A two-bedroom is cheapest in Albany and will cost you more than $1,500 in metro Atlanta.

The challenge is not access to housing; the challenge is the accessibility of the pricing.

Jacon Dallas-Main is a part of the advocacy group Party for Socialism – pushing for rent control across the state.

Proposed legislation that was just filed – Senate Bill 125 – would change decades-old legislation that restricts local governments from regulating rent.

Solomon says rent is already too high for people like her and her family.

“You wouldn’t want it to be you, so just think of it as your mom, your dad,” she said.

The bill is filed and ready for discussion at the start of the legislative session, which is less than two weeks away.

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