I’m Leah Esslinger from United Campus Workers of Virginia coming from Charlottesville. We support HB 1870. Here in Charlottesville, a lot of folks are really struggling. We can’t afford to live where we work, we have to make impossible choices between housing, childcare, and healthcare. We can’t thrive. And it’s because landlords, often represented by large venture capitalist firms, want more than their fair share. HB 1870 does what government is supposed to do. It serves the public’s interest by putting the needs of citizens above corporate profits. In this case, by preventing multi millionaire landlords from unfairly extracting money from working people. United Campus Workers of Virginia supports this bill because we believe we, the working people of Virginia, have a right to safe, secure housing. We hope you stand with working people too. Support HB 1870.

My name is Lyle Solla-Yates, I serve with the Charlottesville Planning Commission and have served with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, Charlottesville Plans Together, and the Charlottesville Housing Advisory Committee. We have a shortage of safe homes near jobs and services in Virginia and the shortage is getting worse. Landlords know this and they are looking to technological solutions to collude to fix prices far above market value. This is against the public interest and harms our ability to grow our economy. This bill gives us some protection against technology making a bad situation worse. Thank you for considering it.

The League of Women of Virginia supports HB1973 because it will preserve much needed affordable housing. There are about 160,000 affordable rental units in Virginia that are publicly supported. 7,126 of these units are at risk of losing their affordability in the next five years and 29,456 in the next ten due to expiring affordability restrictions. Preservation saves money. Construction of new units costs 25 to 40 percent more than through the purchase and rehabilitation of existing housing units.

On behalf of the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association and Loudoun County Government and Fire and Rescue, we oppose HB2067 regarding Consumer Fireworks. This bill would expand the use of and availability of consumer fireworks in Virginia. Fireworks are dangerous as they are the cause of fires and cause injuries to those that use them, especially children. Even thou this bill includes age restrictions and includes a local option, the fact of the matter is fireworks contain explosive material, emit sparks, are extremely hot in temperature and cause injuries each year. Some facts about consumer fireworks include: From Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) • CPSC staff received reports of 8 non-occupational, fireworks-related deaths during 2023. Five of the deaths were associated with firework misuse; two deaths were associated with a device misfire/malfunction; and the circumstances surrounding one incident are unknown. Reporting of fireworks-related deaths for 2023 is not complete, and the number of deaths identified for 2023 should be considered a minimum. • Fireworks were involved with an estimated 9,700 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments during calendar year 2023. • There is a statistically significant trend in estimated emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries from 2008 through 2023. • In fiscal year 2023, approximately 18% of selected and tested fireworks products were found to contain noncompliant components, including fuse violations, the presence of prohibited chemicals and pyrotechnic materials overload. From National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) • More than 31,000 reported fires are started by fireworks annually. • Burns account for 38% of the 7,400 injuries treated in emergency rooms in the month around July 4. • Half of the fireworks injuries at emergency rooms were extremities: hand, finger, or leg. One-third were to the eye or other parts of the head. • Children younger than 15 years old accounted for 28% of the estimated fireworks injuries. • Sparklers account for 29% of fireworks injuries for children under the age of 5 treated in emergency rooms in the month around July 4. Please reject this bill. No amount of revenue can offset the injuries and fires that WILL occur as a result of this legislation. The Virginia Fire Chiefs Association represents all of the fire chiefs in Virginia.

This bill, which authorizes the use of consumer fireworks, poses risks to public safety and increases the burden on first responders. Authorizing consumer fireworks will lead to an increase in injuries. Teens and children are statistically the largest groups affected in these cases. Fireworks are inherently dangerous, and even "consumer" fireworks pose a significant risk of burns, eye injuries, and other serious harm including possible fatalities. In the most recent report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2023 there were eight fatalities and an estimated 9,700 injuries involving fireworks. Of the eight reported fatalities, one was in Virginia. While the funding toward first responders is certainly appreciated, this bill allocates only a small percentage of the potentially generated revenues to first responders, while simultaneously creating an increase in the calls they will receive. This will stretch already limited resources, putting additional strain on Fire & EMS. The proposed funding is inadequate to address the increased burden this bill creates. It is for the reasons noted above that I oppose this bill.

Do not accept the fireworks proposal.

Due to the safety factor that many people are hurt by fireworks and property is loss by accidently setting of fires, the Kenbridge Fire Department is opposed to this fireworks bill. Thank you

The League of Women Voters of Virginia supports the Faith and Housing bill, HB 2153 because it will help create additional affordable housing by giving localities the authority to adopt a variety of strategies intended to encourage and facilitate the development of affordable housing on property owned by religious organizations or tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. It also gives localities the right to request administrative support from the Department of Housing and Community Development in the preparation of a faith and housing ordinance.

In the last 2 years Trinity United Methodist Church in Roanoke Virginia has bravely moved forward to merging with Greene Memorial United Methodist Church, but had a historic building to find a new purpose. As their pastor I got to witness to this hard and holy work. Through incredible community partners of Restoration Housing we were able to sell our building to them for the use of affordable housing for seniors, and they will break ground next month. But the weight of figuring out how to rezone that space for a new and mission driven use was heavy. Making the law easier for churches to consider this will allow other brave folks in the midst of a new season to take on this good work. There will be 15 homes in what had been a church home for many because we were able to rezone that space and a local non profit will be able to utilize it. There will always be room in God's house, but making the law of our state easier to navigate this will be a gift to so many folks, both faith communities who need to utilize physical assets differently and our communities as a whole. We urge you to support this work.

I am a delegate of the Virginia Legislative Action Committee of the Community Associations Institute, which represents the interests of around common interest communities, their volunteer leaders, business partners and management agents throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia – over 2 million Virginias reside in the almost 10,000 communities impacted by this bill. I am also a licensed engineer and reserve specialist that works daily with community associations to ensure boards are informed of the facilities for which they must maintain. I am in favor of the bill which I believe will further clarify the rights between community associations and their management agents

I am the Chair of the Virginia Legislative Action Committee of the Community Associations Institute, which represents the interests of around common interest communities, their volunteer leaders, business partners and management agents throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia – over 2 million Virginias reside in the almost 10,000 communities impacted by this bill. I am also practicing attorney who specializes in providing legal services to community associations in the Commonwealth. I am in favor of the bill which I believe will further clarify the rights between community associations and their management agents.