Business View Magazine - Nov 2023

44 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11 In addition to their legislative efforts, Morley says the association also participates in various Senate and House committees during the off-session. One notable committee is the Senate Committee on Occupational Licensing, which hopes to influence state licensing policies to better serve its members and the housing industry. Furthermore, she shares that the Home Builders Association of Georgia remains focused on workforce development, collaborating with committees and organizations aimed at expanding the skilled labor force in Georgia. Another significant initiative is their participation in the Housing Access and Affordability Task Force, a collaborative effort that brings together a diverse range of groups, including the Georgia Association of Realtors, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity, the Association of County Commissioners, and the Georgia Municipal Association. “That’s what we’re doing in the off session right now, to try to be prepared when the session begins,” she relays. Increasing the Housing Supply to Support Affordability The state’s housing market has experienced a shortage of available housing, causing a substantial increase in housing prices. “We look at increasing the supply, which we’re very short of in the state of Georgia, as a way to promote affordable housing. As people move up into their next home, they release more of that supply into the marketplace,” Hackney explains. “So, when we talk about affordable housing, sometimes we just mean attainable market-rate housing, that’s not more expensive than it needs to be.” Named the “Number One State to Do Business In”, 10 years in a row, Georgia has continued to attract new residents, which is a blessing and a challenge for the industry. “All those new people mean new homes are needed, and our members have just been trying to play catch up since the great recession,” Hackney portrays. Although Metro Atlanta serves as Georgia’s Cindy Morley Director-of Public Affairs Austin Hackney Executive Vice President