Georgia Faces Critical Housing Crisis and Rising Absenteeism

News Summary

Georgia is confronting a severe housing crisis marked by a significant shortage of affordable rentals and escalating absenteeism in schools. The poverty rate in the state is 14%, and rental prices are rising, particularly impacting low-income families and seniors. Legislative attempts, such as the ‘Save Our Homes’ act, failed to gain traction. Concurrently, absenteeism rates among students are alarmingly high due to various health and socioeconomic factors. The state’s demographic trends reveal a declining birthrate and increasing senior poverty and food insecurity, emphasizing the need for immediate action to support vulnerable populations.

Atlanta, Georgia – Georgia is grappling with a severe housing crisis, compounded by high poverty rates and escalating absenteeism in schools. The state’s poverty rate currently stands at 14%, which is notably 3% higher than the national average. With over 200,000 homes for low-income renters absent, and one in every four rental homes categorized as low-income, the state is facing critical shortages in affordable housing, particularly for extremely low-income families.

The “Save Our Homes” act (SB 349), intended to cap property tax home assessments at 3%, successfully passed the Senate but failed to gain approval from House lawmakers in the current legislative session. Rising interest rates are moderating the sales market, pushing potential buyers to remain in rental housing, further intensifying the demand for affordable rentals.

According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, rental prices are on the rise, placing additional strain on lower-income households, particularly among seniors, as demand escalates. At the same time, tariffs have had no current impact on housing costs, with properties that utilize reserved construction materials continuing to sell well. However, housing experts are cautious, predicting potential increases in construction costs for 2026 as the current inventory is sold off.

The crisis is evident in the increasing population of older Georgians experiencing homelessness, which has grown by 3% in recent years. A disparity in the economic landscape shows that Black and Latino families are disproportionately represented in lower-income brackets due to wage gaps. A report from Georgia State University indicates a 30% increase in single-family rental homes in Atlanta, predominantly owned by large corporations.

In response to the housing and economic crises, Senator Jon Ossoff has been advocating for lower home prices and addressing the growing dominance of out-of-state companies, which own nearly one-third of Atlanta’s rental homes.

Simultaneously, Georgia schools are witnessing a troubling upward trend in absenteeism rates. More than 20% of students missed over 15 days of school in the year 2024, nearly double the rate seen in 2019. Furthermore, 42% of students missed between six to fifteen days of school—an increase from prior years. Factors contributing to this absenteeism include unaddressed health issues like vision impairments and asthma, family emergencies, fatigue, and a lack of access to mental health services.

Basic needs such as food, clothing, and hygiene products stand out as significant barriers to regular school attendance. Suggestions have emerged to establish laws mandating multi-agency student attendance committees in each county to combat absenteeism and improve student engagement.

Demographic trends reveal a declining birthrate in Georgia, which has dropped by nearly 29% since 2007, paralleled by a rising average age of first-time mothers. The population of individuals over the age of 65 has increased by 16%, while the number of children has decreased significantly. The state also faces alarming low birthweight rates, recorded at 10.2% in 2023, surpassing the national average and raising red flags about women’s and infant health.

These demographic changes are creating an economic impact for Georgia, potentially leading to a shrinking workforce and mounting pressure on social support systems. Although the state boasts a notably high child poverty rate of 18%, this exacerbates community struggles. Furthermore, a study revealed that 7.7% of seniors in Georgia deal with food insecurity, placing the state among the top ranks for this issue. Georgia also has the third-highest senior poverty rate at 12.1%, alongside median rent prices hovering around $1,400.

Factors contributing to senior food insecurity include economic hardship, limited transportation options, and various health challenges. Addressing these intertwined issues remains crucial for securing a more stable future for Georgia’s vulnerable populations.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

• WJBF: Affordable Housing Study in Georgia
• Wikipedia: Housing Crisis
• Augusta Chronicle: Absenteeism on the Rise in Georgia
• Google Search: Absenteeism in Schools Georgia
• Ledger-Enquirer: Georgia Housing Issues
• Google Scholar: Georgia Housing Issues
• Savannah Now: Georgia Among Worst States for Senior Food Insecurity
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Senior Food Insecurity
• iHeart: Georgia City Named Among the 10 Neediest Cities
• Google News: Neediest Cities in the US