HB594
Affordable housing developments, certain; expedited approval.
Status:
In Senate
Latest Action:
Jan. 30, 2026
Senate: Referred to Committee on Local Government
Chief Patron:
Shelly Simonds (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. Expedited approval for certain affordable housing developments.
Allows a locality, by ordinance, to authorize a zoning administrator to use an administrative process to approve rezoning applications for affordable housing developments. The bill requires that the affordable housing development comply with the Virginia Fair Housing Law, connect to a public or community water supply or sewage system, and ... (More) be located within or adjacent to an area identified by the locality that could support increased density development and provide access to services. The bill also requires the locality, prior to the adoption of such ordinance, to advertise its intention to propose such ordinance within a certain period of time in a newspaper having a general circulation in the locality. The bill allows the Department of Housing and Community Development to give a locality priority for any grants or loans administered by the Department if such locality demonstrates to the Department's satisfaction that its ordinance has met the provisions of the bill. Finally, the bill requires certain localities that adopt such ordinance to include in their annual local housing policy report to the Department a summary of the ordinance. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104652D
- 01/13/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
- 01/20/2026 - House: Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #2
- 01/21/2026 - House: Placed on Counties, Cities and Towns Agenda
- 01/22/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
- 01/22/2026 - House: Placed on Counties, Cities and Towns Agenda
- 01/23/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB594)
- 01/23/2026 - House: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (20-Y 0-N)
- 01/27/2026 - House: Read first time
- 01/28/2026 - House: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
- 01/28/2026 - House: Read second time and engrossed
- 01/29/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (89-Y 10-N 0-A)
- 01/30/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 01/30/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Local Government
