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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia HB 1279

Affordable housing; religious organizations and other nonprofit tax-exempt properties.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (10)

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED

Affordable housing; religious organizations and other nonprofit tax-exempt properties. Allows for the administrative approval of development and construction of housing on land owned by property tax-exempt religious organizations or certain property tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and provides that zoning ordinances shall allow the by-right development and construction of housing on real property owned by such organizations, subject to various conditions and limitations. The bill provides that the review of such developments be completed pursuant to general law and states that localities shall not require a special exception, special use permit, conditional use permit, rezoning, or any discretionary review or approval process. The bill requires that at least 60 percent of the housing development's total units be for affordable housing and that the housing development remain affordable for at least 30 years. The bill also provides that all such housing is subject to local real property taxation following completion, unless explicitly exempted by the locality. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and expires on January 1, 2031. This bill is identical to SB 388.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:04 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 14, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 13, 2026
Senate		Adopt Conference Committee Report RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 10, 2026
Senate		Insist & Request RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 6, 2026
House		H VOTE:failSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 4, 2026
Senate		Passage RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 3, 2026
Senate		Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 2, 2026
Senate		Reported from Local Government with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 5, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Jan 30, 2026
House		Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Jan 29, 2026
House		Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see

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