By some estimates, the Commonwealth has a shortage of some 300,000 homes and apartments, but some lawmakers are hoping to boost construction by relaxing some regulations for faith-based and nonprofit groups.
Affordable housing was one of the biggest issues mentioned by voters in Virginia’s 2025 elections.
Community of Faith United Methodist Church in the Herndon area — along with their nonprofit, Grains of Hope — witness the need every week as hundreds come to pick up food boxes prepared by volunteers. They have a vision to build affordable housing on the open ground surrounding the church.
“It’s one of the largest assets — we sit on nine acres of land,” said Rev. Abi Foerster. “So we thought, here is a need, we have clients, we have land, let’s figure this out.”
But this church, like others, quickly discovered it’s an uphill battle, facing both neighborhood resistance and potentially years of navigating a series of needed county approvals.
But in the upcoming General Assembly session, two Northern Virginia lawmakers hope their Faith in Housing bill will start to address the deep housing supply shortage.
“So we want to make sure we streamline the process in a way that removes as much bureaucracy and red tape for our faith organizations and nonprofits to do what we know is needed across our commonwealth and that’s to build more affordable homes,” said District 33 State Sen. Jennifer Carrol Foy.
Carroll Foy and District 29 State Sen. Jeremy McPike want to eliminate one hurdle for faith organizations and non-profits. Their measure would remove the need for rezoning and allow what’s known as by-right development of affordable housing.
“Right now essentially we have a lot of zoning that says housing is illegal,” McPike said. “Housing’s illegal — that’s the premise that we’re starting with versus finding a way to yes, and that’s what we are doing — is finding a way to yes.”
The lawmakers say current regulations often mean it takes years for faith-based groups to deliver on affordable housing plans. In Arlington, it took Central United Methodist more than a decade to build a high-rise offering 144 apartments.
“We can’t have a project languishing for seven, eight, nine years, and these nonprofits and faith organizations, they just don’t have the deep pockets to sustain a project of that magnitude,” Carroll Foy said.
Foerster says even though her church is just getting started, if approved, the proposed legislation could change the timetable and community dynamic.
“So if we are able to then be at the table with all the key partners, not just dismiss the local community but to say, ‘We’re not going to have the conversation about whether or not we’re going to build affordable housing, we’re going to have the conversation about how we’re going to build affordable housing,’” she said.
But the lawmakers are quick to point out, even if their measure succeeds, many other county regulations stay in place to make sure the environment, stormwater and traffic impacts are all considered before any final approval.
The proposed legislation is facing opposition. The Virginia Association of Counties, which represents local jurisdictions, opposes a state mandate to allow by-right residential development on any type of property. The association says it will work with lawmakers to find other ways to increase affordable housing by providing incentives to developers.
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