eNews Action Alert – March 1, 2026
OPPOSE: HB804, HB816, and HB1279 would strip local authority to make land use decisions
Sunday, March 1, 2026/Categories: eNews
OPPOSE: Bills would strip local authority to make land use decisions
HB804 and HB816 should be opposed.
HB1279 has a reenactment clause that should be supported.
All 3 bills are currently with the Senate Local Government Committee
OPPOSE THIS HOUSING STOCK MANDATE: HB804 (Helmer) Localities; statewide housing targets. Requires localities to increase housing stock by 7.5% over the next 5 years.
Reasons to OPPOSE HB8804:
- Localities do not create housing (they create the conditions for housing to grow).
- Some localities don’t have the infrastructure needed to increase housing by 7.5%.
- Some localities are losing population, so this growth mandate doesn’t make sense.
OPPOSE THIS BY-RIGHT LEGISLATION: HB816 (Helmer) Zoning; by-right multifamily residential development in areas zoned for commercial use
Reasons to OPPOSE HB816:
- This is a monumental shift in land use authority.
- Requires localities to make 50% of their by right commercial and business zoned property to allow muti-family and mixed-use development.
- Would prohibit rezoning so there would be NO public input on these by-right communities.
- Localities will not have the ability to preserve land for economic development; it has the potential to mandate that prime commercial land be used for residential use.
- This is NOT an affordable housing initiative – the word “affordable” is not in this bill.
SUPPORT THE REENACTMENT CLAUSE (BUT OPPOSE THE CONTENT): HB1279 (Cole, J.G.) Affordable housing; religious organizations and other nonprofit tax-exempt properties.
Reasons to OPPOSE HB1279:
- Will allow certain non-profit organizations and religious organizations to build by right housing on their property.
- Requires administrative approval and is DEEMED approved if no action by the locality in 90 days.
- There will be no Public Input on these projects.
- Only 60% of the units have to be affordable.
- Very prescriptive rules about height and size with no discretion
Action Requested:
All 3 bills are currently with the Senate Local Government Committee. Please contact the members of the committee to OPPOSE HB804, HB816, and HB1279; please express SUPPORT for the reenactment clause of HB1279 which will give time for the impact of the legislation to be fully considered.
VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org