Fair Housing: Georgia

This page is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute, and should not be construed as, legal advice. This page is not intended to provide a mandatory standard of care for the industry. Please consult with local counsel before taking any action based off of the information provided. 

On these pages, you will find information about 1) the protected classes in each state’s fair housing law, 2) protected classes in the cities and counties in the state’s three largest city or metropolitan areas, and 3) protected class information in additional jurisdictions of interest to NAA members. We highlight source of income protections, where applicable, that could substantially impact industry operations. Please see the footnotes. NAA also has resources on the federal fair housing protections that apply nationwide.

We are currently in the process of optimizing NAA’s Fair Housing Protected Class Resources. If you do not see a jurisdiction of interest, please reach out to the NAA Government Affairs Team at [email protected].

Information on this page is current as of September 2022.

Georgia Protected Classes

(Official Code of the State of Georgia Annotated Title 8 Ch 3 Article 4 §§8-3-202 - 205, §8-3-22)

  • Race
  • Color
  • National Origin
  • Religion
  • Sex
  • Familial Status
  • Disability

(Athens Municipal Code § 6-21-3 (4))

Athens is a consolidated city-county with Clarke County

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Gender Identity
  • Marital Status
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Military/Veteran Status

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Fulton County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes.

Alpharetta Protected Classes

(Alpharetta Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Atlanta Protected Classes

(Atlanta Municipal Code Part 2 Chapter 94 Article IV § 94-94)​

In addition to enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes, this jurisdiction

also includes the following protected classes:

  • Creed1
  • Domestic Relationship1
  • Age1
  • Gender Identity1
  • Sexual Orientation1
  • Use of Service Animal1
  • Source of Income1 2

Sandy Springs Protected Classes

(Sandy Springs Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Union City Protected Classes

(Union City Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

1 O.C.G.A.§ 8-3-220 prohibits localities from expanding or reducing fair housing rights, nullifying Atlanta's protections. Please Note: The City of Atlanta also provide protections for additional classes, BUT ONLY for "grant-funded housing programs provided by the County"

2“Source of Income” means any lawful source of income or housing assistance including but not limited to: an occupation, contract, agreement, loan, settlement, court ordered payments, gifts, annuities, insurance policy funds, or any Government provided payments. However, this protection is muted by O.C.G.A.§ 8-3-220.

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Cherokee County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Holly Springs Protected Classes

(Holly Springs Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Woodstock Protected Classes

(Woodstock Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Clayton County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes.

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Cobb County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Acworth Protected Classes

(Acworth Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Austell Protected Classes

(Austell Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Kennesaw Protected Classes

(Kennesaw Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Marietta Protected Classes

(Marietta Municipal Code §§ 7-4-4-010, et seq.)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age

Smyrna Protected Classes

(Smyrna Municipal Code § 66-41(4))

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Gender Identity
  • Housing Status
  • Marital Status
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Military/Veteran Status

 

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(DeKalb County Code § 7.5.9)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Brookhaven Protected Classes

(Brookhaven Municipal Code § 15-593)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Gender Identity
  • Marital Status
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Military/Veteran Status

Decatur Protected Classes

(Decatur Municipal Code § 22-241(b))

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Ancestry
  • Gender Identity
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Military/Veteran Status

Dunwoody Protected Classes

(Dunwoody Municipal Code § 24-192)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Gender Identity
  • Marital Status
  • Pregnancy
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Military/Veteran Status

Johns Creek Protected Classes

(Johns Creek Municipal Code Appx. A Art. 4 § 4.26.11 (D))

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Receipt of Public Assistance (only applies to affordable inclusionary zoning units)

Tucker Protected Classes

(Tucker Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Douglas County Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Lithia Springs Protected Classes

Lithia Springs is a census-designated place within Douglas County

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Forsyth County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes.

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Gwinnett County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Duluth Protected Classes

(Duluth Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Lawrenceville Protected Classes

(Lawrenceville Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Loganville Protected Classes

(Loganville Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Norcross Protected Classes

(Norcross Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Sugar Hill Protected Classes

(Sugar Hill Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Suwanee Protected Classes

(Suwanee Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Hall County Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Gainesville Protected Classes

(Gainesville Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Henry County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

McDonough Protected Classes

(McDonough Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Stockbridge Protected Classes

(Stockbridge Municipal Code § 11.28.040)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Jackson County Agendas and Minutes)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Jefferson Protected Classes

(Jefferson Municipal Code § 26-21)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Newton County Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Rockdale County Code § 54-31, et seq.)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age

Conyers Protected Classes

(Conyers Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

 

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Walton County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Loganville Protected Classes

(Loganville Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

(Augusta Code §§ 1-4-115 and 116)

Augusta is a consolidated city-county.

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age (40 and over)

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Columbia County Municode)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Martinez Protected Classes

Martinez is a census-designated place within Columbia County

Columbus is a consolidated city-county with Muscogee County.

(Columbus Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Chatham County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Savannah Protected Classes

(Savannah County Code §2-3066)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Gender Identity
  • Marital Status
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Military/Veteran Status