Housing affordability was a top campaign issue for Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, and legislators have some ideas to address the issue. Several lawmakers are weighing those proposals before they head to Richmond for the 2026 session in January.
Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger is still staying mum on how she’d like to deliver on one of her biggest campaign promises, but her election night speech offered some hints...
"We are going to work to lower costs of renting, buying or staying in your home," she said. "We are going to cut red tape and build homes families can actually afford.”
The stats for Virginia’s housing market are as bad as you think; property values are up triple digits in some localities, which might be good for sellers, but not for first time buyers. The cost of construction has gone up. And projects often face years of bureaucratic hurdles before they even break ground.
But bills start with legislators in Virginia. So, what ideas do they have to fix the problem?
Henrico area Democratic Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg has long pushed zoning reform; a hot topic among the 'Yes In My Back Yard,' or YIMBY, crowd, which seeks to grow housing by changing how localities permit projects. Among efforts he plans to bring back in 2026 is a carrot and stick bill that he says would incentivize change at the local level.
“The locality has some autonomy to figure out the best way to meet supply but there’s some accountability on the state end," VanValkenburg said at a recent meeting in his office in Richmond. “They have to try to meet the targets, do some collection of policies to increase supply, but at the end of the day they get to choose among those assortments of policy areas to get there.”
Prince William County Democratic Delegate and real estate attorney Josh Thomas would like to address how neighbors can legally challenge new developments. He pointed to Arlington and Alexandria, two NOVA localities that tried to use existing authority on zoning only to have locals challenge the efforts, holding changes up in court.
“People should be able to appeal if they disagree. In the context of housing, though, it is really slowing down a lot of development,” Thomas said.
Delegate Joshua Cole plans to bring back a Faith in Housing effort that would make it easier for faith and tax-exempt groups to put up housing.
“We have churches in the Fredericksburg region that have land or large parking lots that they’re not utilizing anymore," Cole said. "They could put up apartments or affordable housing there.”
A similar effort submitted last year was turned into a study, with results expected in the near future. That could help inform future legislation.
Petersburg area Democratic Senator Lashrecse Aird, joined by Newport News Democratic Delegate Cia Price in the House, plans to bring back measures they say will improve life for current renters.
Aird said Virginia’s eviction rate remains the highest in the nation. Paired with existing low quality rental units, she said the legislature can address the issue via new requirements on landlords.
“We have to do something about the amount of housing stock that we have," Aird told Radio IQ. "Especially in a district like mine that is much older, far more rural, where people are living in subpar conditions and they either stop paying or don’t have a housing option at all.”
Aird also pointed to the state’s Housing Trust Fund which filters state funds to local housing authorities that can then issue grants to spur investment.
“The locality has developers that are interested in developing housing alongside new industry that they want to bring to the community, and these workforce housing grants would go a great deal to assist with that," she said. "But right now, in Virginia, we cap that at $15,000, so we want to remove that cap.”
Republicans are in the minority in both chambers, but they’re also aware of the state’s housing challenges.
Delegate Terry Austin pointed to localities that have had success in building housing without legislative intervention. Botetourt County recently added thousands of units closer to Roanoke, and New Kent County, through zoning efforts made years earlier, is now leading the Commonwealth in new housing units.
“I don’t agree with the state imposing mandated restrictions on localities," Austin said. "I think localities should be able to develop their own planning and zoning and meet the needs for themselves.”
Previously a member of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors and the local planning commission, the rural Republican said whatever ideas Democrats throw his way, he and his party will at least listen.
“I’m always at the table listening, I’m always willing to compromise to find a solution," Austin told Radio IQ. "We’ll just have to see what they bring forward.”
Housing bills should be made public in late December. The new legislative session starts mid-January.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
