‘Housing Near Jobs’ Bills Have Cleared Virginia House and Senate

Bills that could allow by-right zoning for apartment buildings, townhomes, and mixed-use developments in certain commercial corridors cleared the Senate Thursday, one of several proposals to boost housing supply working through the Virginia legislature.

Framing it as “housing near jobs,” sponsor Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, emphasized that his measure can help address Virginia’s housing shortage and particularly benefit public servants such as teachers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and service industry workers.

VanValkenburg, a public school teacher himself, said a key reason he’s been able to live near his day job is that he was able to purchase a home several years ago.

“Teachers that are starting out in the profession now cannot afford to buy a house in Western Henrico,” he said at a recent press conference.

Sen. Danica Roem, D-Prince William, who supported the bill, added that it could help reduce traffic congestion, as people living in walkable areas with lots of nearby businesses might be less reliant on cars.

Andrew Clark with the Virginia Home Builders Association said in an interview that stalled approval processes hinder developers from getting more housing online and they end up losing money in the process. Allowing for multifamily housing in commercial spaces by right could mean faster approval processes by local governments, he said.

“Getting site plan approval, rezoning processes, these can take years and upwards of a million dollars,” he said.

Being able to streamline the process is “sometimes one of the most attractive things to a development.”

The idea hasn’t attracted much favor from Republican lawmakers, however. They have expressed concern about state overreach into local governments’ authority on various housing proposals over the years. Despite Democrats controlling both chambers, the proposal fell in committee last year.

With VanValkenburg’s version and Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax’s versions having cleared each chamber this year, they will likely make it to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk. The idea is among several bills aimed at increasing housing affordability and supply that may align with the governor’s agenda.

Helmer said at a press conference recently about the bills that he is “encouraged” by the momentum on housing policy that his colleagues and Spanberger have been discussing over the past year.

With the legislative session approaching its midpoint on Feb. 18, all bills that have cleared a chamber must be reviewed by the other one. Should they pass there, Spanberger will have the chance to sign, veto, or amend them.

by Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury

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