Passed Laws + Resources
The 2026 Virginia General Assembly session marked one of the most consequential periods for housing reform in the Commonwealth’s recent history. After years of organizing and coalition-building, the Commonwealth Housing Coalition passed a package of bills expanding housing opportunity and access across Virginia.
Click here to learn more about what it took to get these bills signed into law.
Check out the resources below to learn about each new law and help ensure your local government is following the new rules:
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Localities must adopt an ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by-right. They may only require compliance the requirements and local codes and ordinances referenced in the law.
Exception: This law does not apply to localities that have adopted an ADU ordinance prior to January 1, 2026.
Expedited Affordable Housing Approvals
Localities may adopt a zoning ordinance that allows an administrative process to approve affordable housing developments that meet specific criteria.
The law also allows the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development to give a locality that adopts this ordinance priority for any grants or loans.
Parking Reform
Localities cannot require more than 0.5 parking spot for multi-family homes or 1 parking spot for a single family home, duplex, or townhome within a half mile of mass transit.
In addition, localities with populations of 20,000 or more must establish an administrative review process for developers to request at least a 20% reduction of required parking.
Legalizing Manufactured Homes
Localities must permit the placement of manufactured homes in zoning districts where site-built homes are allowed.
Faith In Housing
Localities must adopt a zoning ordinance that allows mixed-use or residential projects to be permitted by-right on faith owned land, regardless of use, height, or density of the local zoning ordinance; however, certain proposal requirements outlined in this law still apply.