KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Virginia

HB1498 • 2026

Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness; established.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 36 a chapter numbered 9.1, consisting of sections numbered 36-151.1 through 36-151.4, relating to Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness established; use of state funds for housing and homelessness services; report.</p>

Housing
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
McClure
Last action
2026-02-18
Official status
Failed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not explicitly mention local Continuums of Care planning groups being directly involved or affected by the legislation beyond their representation on the Council.

Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness

This bill establishes a council to coordinate efforts across Virginia to prevent and end homelessness, requires annual reports, and bans state funds for punitive homeless services.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes the Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness to develop strategies against homelessness.
  • Requires the Council to submit an annual report by October 1st detailing its activities and recommendations.
  • Prohibits using state money to support facilities or programs that treat people experiencing homelessness in a punitive way.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in Virginia.
  • State agencies involved in housing and social services.

Terms To Know

Continuum of Care
A local or regional group that plans, coordinates, and oversees housing and services for people experiencing homelessness within a specific area.
Punitive
Refers to actions or policies that punish individuals rather than help them.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the Council will be funded beyond requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide staff support.
  • It is unclear what specific punitive measures are prohibited for state-funded homeless services.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-18 House

    Left in Committee Rules

  2. 2026-02-02 Studies Subcommittee

    Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (5-Y 0-N)

  3. 2026-02-02 Studies Subcommittee

    House subcommittee offered

  4. 2026-01-30 Studies Subcommittee

    Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee

  5. 2026-01-23 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26105267D

  6. 2026-01-23 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

Official Summary Text

Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness established; use of state funds for housing and homelessness services; report.
Establishes the Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness with the purpose of establishing a coordinated, statewide framework to prevent and end homelessness by aligning state and local efforts around evidence-based strategies. The bill directs the Council to (i) implement a state plan to end homelessness; (ii) align state policies, programs, and funding to effectuate the purpose of the Council; (iii) identify and recommend removal of statutory, regulatory, and administrative barriers to housing stability; and (iv) coordinate state, federal, and private funding to maximize impact and improve outcomes. The bill requires the Council to submit by October 1 of each year a report on its activities and recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, and Department of Housing and Community Development. The bill additionally prohibits the use of state funds to establish, operate, or support any congregate living arrangement, shelter or similar facility, or program that functions in a punitive or coercive manner, as such term is defined in the bill, with respect to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1498

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Rules

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate McClure)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 36 a chapter numbered 9.1, consisting of sections numbered
36-151.1
through
36-151.3
, relating to Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness established; meetings and reports.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 36 a chapter numbered 9.1, consisting of sections numbered
36-151.1
through
36-151.3
, as follows:

CHAPTER

9.1
.

VIRGINIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS.

§
36-151.1
. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"
Continuum of Care
"

means a
local or regional planning group recognized by the Department that plans, coordinates, and oversees housing
,
services
,
and funding for individuals and families experiencing homelessness within a defined geographic area.

"Council" means the Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness established
in this chapter.

"
Department
"
means
the Department of Housing and Community Development.

§
36-151.2
. Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness;
purpose;
membership
; terms; compensation and expenses
.

A. The Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness is established as a policy council, within the meaning of §
2.2-2100
, in the executive branch of government. The purpose of the Council shall be to
(i)
establish a coordinated, statewide framework to prevent and end homelessness
; (ii) align state investments with evidence-based practices; and (iii) support local and regional homeless response systems
.

B.

The Council shall
have no fewer than 25 members and no more than 35 members
,
including legislative members, nonlegislative members, and ex officio members
.
Members shall be appointed as follows:
four members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates
in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates
; two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules;

n
onlegislative

citizen members
to be

appointed by the Governor
, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly
, of whom
no fewer than four
shall b
e
representative
s
from
Continuums of Care

operating
in the Commonwealth
,
including at least one representative from a local planning group within the Balance of State Continuum of Care
,

no fewer than
three
shall be represent
atives of

Virginia-
recognized Indian tribes
,
and

no fewer than eight
shall be

individuals with lived experience of homelessness or housing instability who are serving or have served in leadership or advisory roles in the Commonwealth
.

T
he Director of Corrections
,
the Commissioner of Health
,
the Director
of the Department
,
the Executive Director of the
Virginia
Housing Development Authority
,
the Commissioner of Social Services
,

the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Director of the Department of Medical Assistance Services, the Commissioner
for
Aging and Rehabilitative Services,
the Superintendent of Public Instruction
,
the Commissioner
of the Department
of Veterans Services
,
and
the Commissioner
of the Department
of Workforce Development and Advancement
,
or
their
designee
s
,
shall serve ex officio.
The Governor may designate up to two additional members as necessary to support the work of the Council.

Nonlegislative citizen members of the
Council
shall be citizens of the Commonwealth
appointed at large without regard to political affiliation but with consideration
given to
geographical representation.

Legislative members and ex officio members of the
Council
shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.

C
. After the initial staggering of terms,
nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of
four

year
s
. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term. No person having served on the Council for two full consecutive terms shall be eligible for reappointment to the Council for two years thereafter. The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility
for reappointment
.

D. The Council shall be chaired by a member appointed by the Governor. The
C
ouncil shall elect a vice-chair from among its members and shall appoint other officers as it deems necessary and prescribe their duties
.
The Council may adopt bylaws to govern its operations.

E
.
Legislative members of the Council shall receive such compensation as provided in §
30-19.12
, and nonlegislative citizen m
embers shall receive compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in §
2.2-2813
. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§
2.2-2813
and
2.2-2825
. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Department.

§
36-151.3
.
M
eeting
s
;

quorum
; report
s
; staffing
.

A. The Council shall meet at least quarterly. A majority of
the
members shall constitute a quorum.

B.
The Council shall develop and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly a statewide plan to prevent and reduce homelessness
by
J
uly 1, 2027.

C.
Beginning

July 1, 202
8, and annually thereafter
,
t
he Council shall
submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly
that includes (i)
p
rogress toward implementation of the statewide plan; (
ii) measurable outcomes related to homelessness prevention and reduction; (iii) barriers to interagency coordination and recommendations for statutory or budgetary changes; and (iv) an accounting of state resources aligned with the statewide plan.

D
. The Council shall submit to the Governor, General Assembly, and Department by October 1 of each year an electronic report regarding the activities and recommendations of the Council, which shall be submitted for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website and the Department's website.

E.
The Governor shall designate a State Homelessness Coordinator within the Department of Housing and Community Development or such office as the Governor may determine.

The State Homelessness Coordinator shall
(i) c
oordinate the activities of the Council;
(ii) f
acilitate alignment of state agency policies, regulations, and funding related to homelessness;
(iii) o
versee the development of the statewide plan to prevent and reduce homelessness; and
(iv) s
erve as the primary point of accountability for reports required pursuant to this section.

F
. The Department shall provide staff support to the Council. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the
Council
upon request.