Section 8-3-301 - DefinitionsAs used in this article, the term:
(1) "Commission" means the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission created in Code Section 8-3-306.(2) "Homeless" means persons and families who have no access to or can reasonably be expected not to have access to either traditional or permanent housing which can be considered safe, sanitary, decent, and affordable.(3) "Low-income persons" means persons or families who lack the income necessary, as determined solely by the commission, to enable them, without financial assistance, to secure safe, sanitary, decent, and affordable housing.(4) "Member" means a member appointed to serve on the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission.(5) "Qualified sponsor" means a nonprofit, for profit, or governmental sponsor of a residential housing project or stable housing accountability program that meets the conditions of this article. Such term shall specifically include, but shall not be limited to, local housing authorities established under Article 1 of this chapter and urban residential finance authorities established under Chapter 41 of Title 36.(6) "Residential housing project" means a program designed to enhance residential housing opportunities for low-income persons. Such projects shall include, but shall not be limited to, financing in whole or in part the acquisition, rehabilitation, improvement, or construction of residential rental housing and interest rate or down payment assistance programs designed to enhance home ownership opportunities.(7) "Stable housing accountability program" means a program for housing stable housing accountability program participants that is certified by the commission as meeting the terms and conditions established under Code Section 8-3-311.(8) "Stable housing accountability program participants" means each individual together with his or her immediate family, if any, provided that: (A) Their primary nighttime residence is in a public or private place that is not designed for or ordinarily used as a long-term or medium-term sleeping accommodation for natural persons, and such nighttime residences shall include, but shall not be limited to, a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or campground;(B) Their primary nighttime residence is in a public or private charitable shelter for unhoused individuals that is not designed as a permanent or semipermanent dwelling place and they are leaving an institution where he or she has temporarily resided; or(C) They: (i) Will imminently lose their housing, including housing he or she owns, rents, lives in without paying rent, or is sharing with others, and rooms in hotels or motels not paid for by a governmental program for low-income persons or by charitable organizations, as evidenced by:(I) A court order resulting from an eviction action that notifies the individual that he or she must leave within 30 days;(II) Such individual having a primary nighttime residence that is a room in a hotel or motel and lacking the resources necessary to reside there for more than 14 days;(III) Credible indications that the owner or renter of such housing will not allow such individual to stay for more than 30 days; or(IV) Any oral statement from an individual seeking homeless assistance that is found to be credible;(ii) Have no subsequent residence identified; and(iii) Lack the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing.(9) "Trust fund" means the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless created in Code Section 8-3-302.Amended by 2024 Ga. Laws 413,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2024.