2020 Regular Session

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2020 Regular Session Updates

Fair Housing

Source of Funds Protections (HB 6)
Adds protections based on source of funds to Virginia’s Fair Housing Law, making it illegal for landlords in Virginia who have more than 4 units to discriminate against voucher holders.

Virginia Values Act (SB 868/HB 1663)
Adds protections based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran’s status to Virginia’s Fair Housing Law, making it illegal for landlords in Virginia to discriminate against the LGBT+ community on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and status as a veteran.
 

Additional Housing Legislation

Protecting Victims of Domestic and Family Abuse (HB99)
This bill allows victims of domestic and family abuse to present evidence of abuse to a landlord to mitigate low credit score. Survivors of abuse face several significant barriers in housing, and this bill is important to ensuring that survivors can access safe and stable housing.

Security Deposit Insurance (HB1333)
This bill provides that a landlord may permit a tenant to provide damage insurance coverage meeting certain criteria in lieu of the payment of a security deposit.

Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities (SB707 and HB393)
Requires the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a statement of tenant rights and responsibilities explaining in plain language the rights and responsibilities of tenants under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.

Restrictive Covenants (HB788)
Prohibits a deed containing a restrictive covenant from being recorded on or after July 1, 2020, and provides the form for a Certificate of Release of Certain Prohibited Covenants to be recorded to remove any such restrictive covenant.

 

Budget Bills

The Virginia Housing Trust Fund received an appropriation of $74M over the biennium. This includes $53M in new funds to be used to create, preserve, and rehabilitate affordable housing units across the Commonwealth.

  • 14M/FY20
  • 30M/FY21
  • 30M/FY22