As you may be aware, Habitat DC-NOVA has been advocating since fall of 2025 with the Virginia state-wide Commonwealth Housing Coalition to the VA General Assembly and Governor Spanberger’s office to pass legislation that would address the state’s housing shortage by reducing barriers to home construction, especially for affordable housing.
In February, members of our team met with six of our Delegates and Senators in Richmond for a full and early Advocacy Day of meetings and hearings to discuss the need for these state-level housing legislations.
Thanks to the consistent strength of our collective voices with faith and community leaders, housing advocates, and local officials over the past several months – and thank you to those who helped us send multiple letters to your state representatives – we helped pass five priority affordable housing bills and four we additionally supported, which is an unprecedented number of housing bills passing both chambers in the General Assembly, and now got them approved by Governor Spanberger in April, and will be law!
This victory is the result of collective efforts by Commonwealth Housing Coalition partners, local elected officials, and Habitat DC-NOVA’s network of supporters, who have tirelessly advocated, strategized and mobilized the past seven months and over the last two years. There will still be some work to do to implement these new laws, but let’s celebrate the passage of these below:
- Faith in Housing (HB 1279 / SB 388) – (Also known as YIGBY) Grants by-right development of affordable housing on land owned by religious organizations or certain tax-exempt nonprofit orgs under VA law – Habitat for Humanity is included as one of the tax-exempt nonprofit orgs! This means that Habitat DC-NOVA and other affiliates in VA do not need a special permit to build an affordable housing project on land we own, which would reduce a lengthy step and streamline the process to make it faster and less costly to build our affordable homes! If you weren’t already aware, Habitat DC-NOVA has an affordable townhome project in the City of Fairfax on church land in partnership with Fairfax Presbyterian Church, Glebe View, which took 8 years and $1 million to bring to groundbreaking, and this legislation would have helped this project start development by three years and cost much less.
- Expediting Affordable Housing (HB594) – Allows localities to create an administrative approval process to expedite qualifying affordable housing developments, such as those of Habitat DC-NOVA’s. Local development processes are often costly and unpredictable.
- Parking Reform (HB 888) – Limits local parking mandates in designated areas, which are defined as those within 0.5 mile of “mass or public transit” – fixed route transit of bus or rail, including high-capacity transit. Parking is expensive to build, often unused, and unnecessary in proximity to public transportation options.
- Legalizing Manufactured Housing (SB346) – Expands areas where manufactured homes can be built, wherever site-built housing is allowed, especially outside of agricultural zones. Manufactured housing is often a more attainable housing option and cheaper to build.
- By-right Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) – Requires all localities to include accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a permitted use in single-family residential zones, with certain limits, and requires localities to have an ADU ordinance if they do not currently have one. This is a huge win to provide aging in place or family living/caregiving options, would add extra income or support for homeowners, and provides a low-cost affordable housing option for many!
Additionally supported by Habitat DC-NOVA:
- Property Tax Exemptions for Nonprofit-Controlled Affordable Housing (HB854) – Clarifies that localities have the authority to establish full or partial property tax exemptions for nonprofit-controlled affordable housing.
- Manufactured Home Park Preservation (HB375) – Preserves affordable homeownership and prevents displacement by granting residents of manufactured home parks and localities a Right of First Refusal when a park is being sold.
- Inclusionary Zoning Authority (HB867) – Gives all localities greater authority to establish effective inclusionary zoning programs for affordable housing.
- Warranty of Habitability (HB281) – Allows evidence of uninhabitable living conditions as a defense to nonpayment of rent in eviction cases, which aligns with other types of civil contract cases.
For any questions or interest in getting involved with our advocacy efforts, please reach out to our Policy and Advocacy Director, Regine.Sellote@habitatdcnova.org, or subscribe to our advocacy listserv to receive action alerts.
Check out other housing bills passed in this wrap-up by the Virginia Housing Alliance.