Every home tells a story. A young teacher signing her first mortgage. A family finally moving out of a cramped apartment. A retired couple downsizing so they can stay close to the grandkids. As the new President of the Home Builders Association of Georgia, I get to spend this year hearing those stories in every corner of our state, and I’m reminded each time why this work matters.
Georgia is growing. People and businesses keep choosing our state, and that is something to be proud of. But growth brings a hard question we can’t avoid: where will all these people live, and will they be able to afford it?
Right now, too many Georgians are being priced out of the American Dream. Teachers, nurses, first responders, and young families are the backbone of our communities, and they are increasingly unable to buy a home in the towns they serve. When the people who keep a community running can’t afford to live there, everyone feels it.
The cost nobody sees
When people hear that home prices are rising, they usually think of lumber, labor, or interest rates. Those matter. But a growing share of what a family pays for a new home has nothing to do with sticks and bricks. It comes from government fees, permitting delays, and regulations that pile up quietly at the local level until they add thousands of dollars to the price of a house.
This fall, one East Georgia community raised its water and sewer tap fees by more than 370 percent overnight, adding over $10,000 to the cost of connecting a single new home. Nobody set out to make housing unaffordable. Local leaders have real bills to pay and real infrastructure to maintain. But when costs jump in a single step, the result is predictable. Homes don’t get built, lots sit empty, and the tax revenue those homes would have generated for decades never arrives.
That story is playing out in different forms across Georgia. Impact fees, utility connection charges, lengthy approval timelines, and zoning rules written for another era all add up. Each one may seem reasonable on its own. Together, they can put a modest starter home out of reach.
A partner, not an opponent
I want to be clear about something. Builders are not asking local governments to run at a loss or to cut corners on safety. We live in these communities too. Our kids go to school here. We want strong water systems, good roads, and well-run cities and counties.
What we are asking for is partnership. Talk to us before implementing new regulations or increasing fees, not after. Phase in these changes so families and small businesses can plan. Base fees on real costs and real data. And look at the long view: a home built today pays property taxes and utility bills for generations. The home that never gets built pays nothing.
Strength in our local associations
Home Builders Association of Georgia is only as strong as the local associations that make it up. From Savannah to Dalton, from Augusta to Columbus, local HBAs are where the real work happens. They show up at council meetings, build relationships with county commissioners, and bring practical, on-the-ground knowledge to decisions that shape their communities.
This year, I’ll be traveling the state alongside our Executive Officers Council leadership to visit local associations, listen to their members, and learn what is working and what isn’t. I’ve already seen how much good comes from a builder, a banker, and a local official sitting at the same table.
We’re also working toward better housing data for every local association in Georgia. When a county is weighing a new fee or a zoning change, local builders should be able to walk in with clear, credible numbers on what that decision means for housing supply and affordability in their area. Good policy starts with good information.
Looking ahead
Georgia has every advantage: a strong economy, a talented workforce, and a quality of life that people are moving here to find. Keeping homeownership within reach is how we protect all of it.
To our legislators and local leaders, our door is open. To our members, thank you for the work you do every day. And to every Georgian hoping to own a home someday, know that there are thousands of builders across this state working to make that possible.
Let’s build it together.
Mark Ivey is the 2026-2027 President of Home Builders of Georgia and Co-Owner of Ivey Homes, Evans, Georgia].
