Rising construction costs, restrictive local policies, and regulatory hurdles are widening Georgia’s housing affordability gap, according to housing advocates and builders, and policymakers.
During a recent meeting of the Georgia Healthy Housing Coalition, Shawn Stafford, president of Stafford Builders & Consultants, said theft and vandalism at construction sites are driving up costs. Stolen materials, from lumber to steel, affect projects regardless of whether they are luxury homes or affordable housing.
“The cost has to be passed down to someone,” Stafford said, warning that the gap between the cost to build and what lower- or moderate-income families can afford is widening.
Stafford was a speaker on a panel discussing “Bridging Local Challenges to Statewide Solutions in Housing.”
The Georgia Healthy Housing Coalition was founded in 2018 by the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. The July 31 event was held in Macon and drew attendees from metro Atlanta. Along with Stafford, panelists included Macon Housing Authority CEO Mike Austin and Ivy Hall, Macon area executive director for Habitat for Humanity.
The need for affordable housing is pressing. Between 2010 and 2020, Georgia’s housing supply was cut in half while the state’s population grew by one million people, said Beth Stephens, a policy director for Enterprise Community Partners.
“We found that Georgia needs to build 715,000 new and replacement units over the next decade to accommodate for future growth, and to make up for undersupply, and update existing housing stock,” she said.
Homelessness increased 29 percent between 2018 and 2024, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which also reports that 24 percent of Georgia’s renter households are extremely low income. Many spend more than half their income on housing, often sacrificing essentials such as food and healthcare to pay rent, the organization reports.
Barriers for low-income families
Conference panelists said housing regulations can be too restrictive on lower-income individuals, and also on building affordable or lower-income homes.
“Even with [housing] supply, there are lots of barriers,” Austin said. “If I want to rent an apartment, all I have to do is come up with a deposit. Same with buying a house… It’s pretty easy. But if I want to move into Section 8 housing, it’s extremely difficult.”
At the Housing Authority, compliance officers’ only job is to make sure residents are in compliance with Housing and Urban Development, Internal Revenue Service, and state and local government regulations, he said, “And that drives up costs.”
Stafford also pointed to burdensome permitting and inspection requirements and costs for builders. A small home and a commercial structure might have the same restrictions, he said. And while safety is critical, he said that some government entities can go overboard, pushing costs even higher.
The issue is compounded by rising material prices. The National Association of Home Builders reports that costs for lumber, steel, aluminum, and other construction inputs have surged since 2024, driving price volatility and delaying projects.
Restrictions that hinder affordable housing development
Commenting from the audience, Rep. Dale Washburn (R-Macon) said that restrictive local ordinances, such as minimum house sizes of 2,000 square feet or bans on vinyl siding, drive up costs and block affordable housing. Efforts to loosen such rules, he said, have faced opposition from the Association of County Commissioners in the past.
Some counties in Georgia require a two-acre lot minimum to build, he added.
“There’s nothing wrong with regulation that plans a community’s growth and controls that growth,” Washburn said. “… But too much will kill you … And that’s what we’re seeing with affordable housing across our state.”
Washburn added that top leadership in the legislature holds the most influence with local governments, and the key is getting them to understand affordable housing challenges. Once they do, he said, they can encourage local governments to relax restrictions.
Signs of hope
Last Wednesday, Michael Waller, executive director of Georgia Appleseed, said he believes that many lawmakers are listening to affordable and low-income housing advocates.
This year, the Georgia General Assembly approved a law requiring out-of-state residential property owners to have staff available in Georgia to respond to tenants’ questions and concerns.
Georgia Appleseed has helped pass other tenant-protection measures, including a 2019 bill that prevents landlords from retaliating against complaining tenants and the Safe at Home Act in 2024.
“People are living in dangerous conditions that are unacceptable,” Waller added. “But there’s reason for optimism.”
When housing supply grows and zoning reforms open the door for more affordable and low-income developments, those changes will be reinforced by strong legal protections, ensuring stable housing for Georgia’s most vulnerable residents.
“It’s a very good time for advocates to be pushing for pragmatic reforms that protect low-income families because lawmakers are listening,” he said.
