Representative Larry, speaking to a House committee, introduced HP 753, the "Better Georgia Without Blight Act," saying the bill would authorize the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to provide technical assistance and pursue outside grants to help cities and counties remediate blighted properties and convert them into housing.

"According to OCJ in chapter 8 section 4, subsection 8, that is an urbanized or developed property that has met these 2 or more conditions: uninhabitable, unsafe or abandoned, inadequate provisions of ventilation, light, and or sanitation, and there's an imminent harm to life or other property," Representative Larry said, citing the legal definition he used to estimate the statewide scope of the problem.

The sponsor said those criteria produce an estimated 582,000 blighted properties statewide and cited figures he attributed to localities showing tax-revenue and remediation costs: Macon-Bibb County, $3.5 million in lost revenue; Atlanta, $5.7 million; and Augusta–Richmond County, more than $900,000 tied to 60 properties. Representative Larry said the bill would not change the legal definition of blight but would create a five-step local process before funding could be used: a public inspection, written notice to owners, a stakeholder meeting, a calculation of revenue loss to city/county/state, and a local commitment to rehabilitation.

John Moy, senior director for policy at the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, testified in support and urged the committee to pass the bill. "Blight breeds crime, diminished property values, and undermines the sense of pride and belonging that every citizen deserves," Moy said, calling the legislation a "comprehensive framework" to identify, assess and remediate blighted properties.

Members asked how the program would be funded and whether it would duplicate local efforts. Representative Larry said the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) would be authorized to "apply for, receive, administer, or use any grant" and that the program was intended to leverage outside grants rather than rely solely on state general funds. He told the committee DCA had not provided a target funding estimate during the hearing but that DCA and the sponsor would continue discussions in the interim.

Representative McLean asked about the bill's automatic repeal provision, which would expire in 2031 unless renewed. Representative Larry said the sunset was intended to allow the General Assembly to assess program success before extending it.

Several members from counties that have already spent local funds on blight remediation — including speakers from Macon-Bibb and Middle Georgia districts — said state assistance could help expand local efforts and speed conversion of properties into affordable housing. Representative Jones credited the bill with the potential to "rejuvenate neighborhoods, improve property values, and enhance the quality of life" for residents in his district.

The committee closed with a voice vote to pass the measure out of committee. Committee discussion, public testimony and the sponsor's answers emphasized that the bill would provide a state-administered mechanism for grant-seeking and technical assistance, but did not specify a state funding commitment or detailed grant amounts.

The bill will proceed according to the committee's rules for the next steps in the House.