Ossoff raises the heat on corporate landlords amid rising rents in Georgia
ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff on Monday stepped up his call for scrutiny of large, out-of-state corporations that have purchased thousands of single-family homes across Georgia and that he says are driving up rental prices.
During a news conference on Monday, the senator said he wants to expose abusive practices that lead to the mistreatment of tenants and force homeowners out.
He’s launched an investigation – an inquiry that includes Ossoff’s inquiry includes more than a dozen questions to four out-of-state firms, each of which owns thousands of homes in Georgia.
The companies are expected to respond by July 1.
After inquiries to the companies, the National Rental Home Council — a lobbying group representing corporate landlords — issued a statement defending their role in the housing market.
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“We need to stop pointing fingers and start expanding housing options,” the group said in a statement. “Companies invest significantly in these communities — renovating properties to high standards, employing local contractors, and maintaining quality housing options.”
The senator asked tenants who believe they’ve been mistreated by corporate landlords to his office.
The investigation follows a report by a Georgia State University professor that found more than 30% of single-family homes in metro Atlanta are owned by out-of-state companies, nearly 10 times the national average. The trend is now spreading beyond metro Atlanta into other parts of the state.
A recent housing map highlights how corporate ownership is concentrated in urban areas, with some counties showing that more than half of single-family homes are owned by corporate landlords.
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Matthew Nursey of the Housing Justice League said there’s almost nothing affordable left on the market.
“Achieving the American dream is becoming increasingly hard right now,” said Nursey.
Housing advocates say Georgia’s relatively weak tenant protection laws allow landlords to significantly raise rents and tack on additional fees, forcing families to dip into savings or risk displacement.
“The governor likes to tout Georgia is the number one state to do business,” Nursey said. “That comes at the expense of working-class people.”
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Ossoff has sent inquiries to four out-of-state firms, each of which owns thousands of homes in Georgia, requesting detailed explanations of their rental practices and pricing structures.
“As this investigation continues, we will be taking a deep dive,” Ossoff said.
Following inquiries to the companies, the National Rental Home Council — a lobbying group representing corporate landlords — issued a statement defending their role in the housing market.
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“We need to stop pointing fingers and start expanding housing options,” the group said in a statement. “Companies invest significantly in these communities — renovating properties to high standards, employing local contractors, and maintaining quality housing options.”
A recent report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates the U.S. faces a shortage of more than 7 million affordable and available rental homes.
Ossoff argues the housing crisis can’t be explained solely by basic supply and demand.
“We have a housing market with a few major actors who are bringing massive demand into the state and who have the cash to outbid ordinary Georgia homebuyers,” he said.
The senator’s letter includes more than a dozen questions and companies are expected to respond by July 1.
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