Housing

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 74: Affordable housing; local zoning ordinance authority.

Affordable housing; local zoning ordinance authority. Authorizes any locality in the Commonwealth to provide for an affordable housing dwelling unit program by amending the zoning ordinance of such locality. Current law restricts such authorization to counties with an urban county executive form of government or county manager plan of government and certain other localities. In addition to optional increases in density, the bill provides that such program may include certain additional implementation measures including lot size reductions and accessory housing unit allowances. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027, and is identical to HB 867.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill removes restrictions on localities creating affordable housing programs via zoning, directly advancing affordable housing development by expanding access to more jurisdictions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 8, 2026

HB 15: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies; noncompliance with rental agreement; mandatory waiting period. Increases the mandatory waiting period for a landlord to pursue remedies for termination of the rental agreement from five days to 14 days. The waiting period begins after a landlord serves written notice on a tenant notifying the tenant of his nonpayment of rent and of the landlord's intention to terminate the rental agreement if rent is not paid. This bill is identical to SB 48.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExtends tenant protection by increasing landlord waiting period from 5 to 14 days before eviction for nonpayment, strengthening tenant rights under rental agreements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 8, 2026

HB 4: Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty.

Preservation of affordable housing; definitions; civil penalty. Creates a framework for localities to preserve affordable housing by exercising a right of first refusal on publicly supported housing, defined in the bill. The bill authorizes localities to adopt an ordinance that requires an owner to accept a right of first refusal offer by the locality or qualified designee, defined in the bill, in order to preserve affordable housing for at least 15 years. The bill requires that any locality with a population greater than 3,500 adopting such an ordinance to preserve affordable housing submit an annual report to the Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to existing law.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates right of first refusal for localities to preserve affordable housing for 15+ years, directly protecting existing affordable units from conversion.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 328: Housing for local employees; grants for homeownership.

Housing for local employees; grants for homeownership and workforce housing alternatives. Eliminates the maximum amount a locality may provide (i) to employees of the locality, employees of the school board, and employees of constitutional officers for homeownership grants to purchase primary residences in the locality and (ii) to school division personnel for residential housing assistance grants to provide affordable workforce housing alternatives. The bill also eliminates the requirement that such grants adhere to the Virginia Housing and Development Authority regional sales price and household income limitation guidelines. Current law imposes a maximum grant amount of $25,000 for individual grants per employee, as well as a maximum lifetime cumulative amount of $25,000 per employee. This bill is identical to HB 164.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEliminates spending caps on local housing grants, increasing budget allocation for workforce housing programs without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides housing grants for school division personnel (teachers), directly supporting educators' housing affordability per topic's 'teachers' inclusion.80% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingEliminates funding caps for local employee homeownership grants and workforce housing alternatives, directly advancing affordable housing access for workers.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEliminates caps on housing grants for local employees/school personnel, directly advancing workforce housing affordability as a labor support measure.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 770: Public utilities; water and sewerage companies, discounted rates for low-income customers.

Public utilities; water and sewerage companies; discounted rates for low-income customers. Provides that a public utility engaged in the business of furnishing water or sewerage facilities may propose and the State Corporation Commission may approve rates and tariff provisions that provide discounted service to customers with an annual household income equal to or less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The bill permits the utility to recover the costs of providing such discounted service through its rates for commercial and industrial customers. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and is identical to SB 650.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingDiscounts utility rates for low-income households (80% median income), reducing housing cost burdens and supporting affordability as defined in topic.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 837: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program, eligibility.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program; eligibility. Requires any general district court that implements the Eviction Diversion Program to attach information about the Program, including eligibility criteria, to any summons for unlawful detainer. The bill also alters eligibility requirements for a tenant to participate in the Program. This bill is identical to SB 273.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill expands tenant access to eviction diversion program by altering eligibility and requiring court-provided program info, strengthening tenant protections against eviction.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 650: Public utilities; water and sewerage companies, discounted rates for low-income customers.

Public utilities; water and sewerage companies; discounted rates for low-income customers. Provides that a public utility engaged in the business of furnishing water or sewerage facilities may propose and the State Corporation Commission may approve rates and tariff provisions that provide discounted service to customers with an annual household income equal to or less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The bill permits the utility to recover the costs of providing such discounted service through its rates for commercial and industrial customers. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and is identical to HB 770.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingProvides discounted utility rates for low-income households (80% median income), directly increasing housing affordability by reducing essential living costs for vulnerable residents.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 170: Real estate appraisers; ed. requirements for licensure, fair housing and appraisal bias course.

Real estate appraisers; educational requirements for licensure; fair housing and appraisal bias course. Requires, in addition to successfully completing an examination, applicants for licensure as a certified residential real estate appraiser or a certified general real estate appraiser to also successfully complete a fair housing and appraisal bias education course administered or approved by the Real Estate Appraiser Board prior to licensure, the specifics of which are provided in the bill.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires anti-discrimination training for appraisers, preventing housing discrimination - a key housing policy indicator per the topic description.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

passed both · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 14, 2026

HB 1078: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; adverse action by landlord, tenant remedies.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; adverse action by landlord; tenant remedies. Prohibits a residential landlord who owns more than four rental dwelling units or more than a 10 percent interest in more than four rental dwelling units, whether individually or through a business entity, in the Commonwealth from taking adverse action against a prospective tenant due to the prospective tenant's history of a dismissed or nonsuited unlawful detainer case. The bill allows a prospective tenant to recover, as a result of any such adverse action, (i) actual damages, (ii) statutory damages of $250, and (iii) reasonable attorney fees.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits landlords from taking adverse action against tenants with dismissed unlawful detainer cases, strengthening tenant protections under housing law.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026

HB 1415: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; public funding for multifamily residential housing, etc.

Public funding for multifamily residential housing; Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; common household pets. Requires any multifamily residential housing development receiving an investment of public funds to allow occupants to own or otherwise maintain within the occupant's dwelling unit at least one common household pet, defined in the bill, without restrictions on breed or weight below 65 pounds. The bill additionally requires any landlord subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to provide a disclosure with any application for a rental agreement containing a written copy of any terms and conditions of the rental agreement regarding an applicant's ability to own or otherwise maintain a common household pet within the dwelling unit. If such landlord maintains a website regarding the property, such terms and conditions shall additionally be published to such website. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires pet-friendly housing units and prohibits pet-related insurance discrimination, strengthening tenant protections under housing development.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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