Public Comments for 01/30/2025 Counties Cities and Towns - Subcommittee #2
HB2603 - Affordable housing; counties with executive form of government.
I am writing in support of the HB2781 and HB 2603 to support counties like Prince William to use VA State Code 2304 for creating an Affordable Dwelling Unit Ordinance. We are in the middle of a housing crisis, and we need to be able to develop more affordable, attainable, and accessible housing so that everyone can access to live where they work, play, and worship.
HB2660 - Subdivision ordinance; shortens timeframe for local approvals.
HB2682 - Building permit and certificate of occupancy processes; work group to identify certain changes.
HB2712 - Data centers; local authority considering any land use application.
I am writing in support of HB 2712.
HB2745 - Vacant and blighted or derelict property; locality allowed to sell.
HB2781 - Affordable housing; counties with executive form of government.
I am writing in support of the HB2781 and HB 2603 to support counties like Prince William to use VA State Code 2304 for creating an Affordable Dwelling Unit Ordinance. We are in the middle of a housing crisis, and we need to be able to develop more affordable, attainable, and accessible housing so that everyone can access to live where they work, play, and worship.
HB1826 - Vacant building registration; increases fee, civil penalty.
The City of Portsmouth strongly supports this bill as it will help to defray the administrative costs to maintain the tracking of vacant buildings. Please Support. Thank you
The City of Portsmouth strongly supports this bill as it will help to defray the administrative costs to maintain the tracking of vacant buildings. Please Support. Thank you
On behalf of the eighteen older, historic city members of the Virginia First Cities Coalition, we support Delegate Simonds' HB 1826. Our coalition of Virginia's old, historic cities was formed to work on these issues some 25 years ago and we are still at it. We continue to work very hard to make our city neighborhoods, downtowns, commercial and residential spaces income producing, vibrant and productive places. We support our valued member, the City of Newport News, for centering this legislation in their 2025 Legislative Program. We know that vacant building registry programs work, but they are also very time and labor intensive for many of our city departments --- from public safety to building codes to inspections --- We have a great deal of time and effort invested in getting these properties back on the tax rolls. The City of Newport News is asking for an increase in fees that have not been increased in over fourteen years. We think this is important. We'd also like to point out the inordinate amount of time and the costs associated with maintaining, enforcing, ensuring the public safety surrounding these criminally blighted properties. Please support HB 1826