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HB655 • 2026

Zoning; manufactured housing.

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 15.2-2247 and 15.2-2290 of the Code of Virginia, relating to zoning; manufactured housing.

Housing Land
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Maldonado
Last action
2026-03-31
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on enforcement mechanisms or potential conflicts with existing laws and covenants, leaving these points as limits and unknowns.

Zoning Rules for Manufactured Housing

This act changes Virginia's zoning laws to require localities to allow manufactured homes in all areas where site-built houses are allowed, and it stops localities from treating manufactured homes differently than single-family houses.

What This Bill Does

  • Expands the requirement for localities to permit manufactured homes in all zones where site-built housing is allowed, not just agricultural zones.
  • Prohibits localities from having zoning rules that treat manufactured homes more restrictively than a single-family house allowed in the same zone.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local governments that adopt and enforce zoning ordinances
  • People who want to place or build manufactured homes

Terms To Know

Manufactured home
A prefabricated house built in a factory according to federal building standards.
Site-built housing
A house that is constructed on the property where it will be used, rather than being manufactured off-site.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how localities should enforce these new requirements.
  • It's unclear what happens if there are conflicts between this act and existing state laws or restrictive covenants.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 19 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0019)

  3. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  4. 2026-03-14 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  5. 2026-03-13 House

    Signed by Speaker

  6. 2026-03-13 Senate

    Signed by President

  7. 2026-03-13 House

    Enrolled

  8. 2026-03-13 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB655ER)

  9. 2026-03-06 House

    Senate substitute agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N 0-A)

  10. 2026-03-04 Senate

    Read third time

  11. 2026-03-04 Senate

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-04 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  13. 2026-03-04 Local Government

    Local Government Substitute agreed to

  14. 2026-03-04 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute (39-Y 1-N 0-A)

  15. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Rules suspended

  16. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  17. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  18. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  19. 2026-03-02 Local Government

    Reported from Local Government with substitute (12-Y 1-N)

  20. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  21. 2026-03-02 Local Government

    Committee substitute printed 26108020D-S1

  22. 2026-01-30 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  23. 2026-01-30 Local Government

    Referred to Committee on Local Government

  24. 2026-01-29 House

    Read third time and passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

  25. 2026-01-28 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  26. 2026-01-28 House

    Read second time

  27. 2026-01-28 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  28. 2026-01-27 House

    Read first time

  29. 2026-01-23 Subcommittee #1

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 0-N)

  30. 2026-01-23 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (20-Y 0-N)

  31. 2026-01-23 House

    Incorporates HB801 (Helmer)

  32. 2026-01-23 House

    Incorporates HB418 (Cole, N.T.)

  33. 2026-01-23 Subcommittee #1

    House subcommittee offered

  34. 2026-01-23 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Committee substitute printed 26106112D-H1

  35. 2026-01-20 Subcommittee #1

    Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #1

  36. 2026-01-13 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102684D

  37. 2026-01-13 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

Official Summary Text

Zoning; manufactured housing.
Amends existing provisions that require localities to permit manufactured homes in areas zoned for agriculture by expanding such requirement to all zoning districts where site-built housing is allowed, with certain conditions. The bill provides that localities shall not adopt or enforce any zoning, land-use, or development regulation that treats manufactured homes differently or more restrictively than a single-family site-built dwelling allowed in the same zoning district. The bill also removes the authority of localities without a zoning ordinance to designate the areas within the locality in which manufactured homes may be located. This bill incorporates HB 418 and HB 801 and is identical to SB 346.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
An Act to amend and reenact §§
15.2-2247
and
15.2-2290
of the Code of Virginia, relating to zoning; manufactured housing.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§
15.2-2247
and
15.2-2290
of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§
15.2-2247
. Applicability of subdivision ordinance to manufactured home parks.
Any locality may designate
,
by ordinance
,
the areas within its jurisdiction in which
manufactured homes may be located or
manufactured home parks may be established, notwithstanding the absence of a zoning ordinance in such locality. Such ordinance may also apply to any of the provisions of §§
15.2-2241
through
15.2-2245
in the regulation and governing of the location, establishment, and operation of
manufactured homes or
manufactured home parks. The ordinance may apply to any park or portion thereof licensed as a campground pursuant to Title 35.1
of this Code
. In the event of irreconcilable conflict between the ordinance and state law, the state law shall supersede the ordinance.
§
15.2-2290
. Uniform regulations for manufactured housing.
A.
Localities adopting and enforcing zoning ordinances under the provisions of this article shall provide that in all agricultural zoning districts, or districts having similar classifications regardless of name or designation, where agricultural, horticultural, or forest uses such as those described in §
58.1-3230
are the dominant use and where site-built housing is allowed, the placement of manufactured homes shall be permitted.
B.
Localities adopting and enforcing zoning ordinances under the provisions of this article shall provide that, in all
agricultural
zoning districts
or districts having similar classifications regardless of name or designation where agricultural, horticultural, or forest uses such as but not limited to those described in §
58.1-3230
are the dominant use
, other than zoning districts listed in subsection A, where site-built housing is allowed
, the placement of manufactured
houses
homes shall be permitted for manufactured homes
that are
on a permanent foundation
(i) converted to real property in accordance with §
46.2-653.1
, (ii) constructed so that the certificate of occupancy is issued within five years following the date of manufacture listed on the home's data plate,
and
(iii) placed
on individual lots
shall be permitted, subject to development standards that are equivalent to those applicable to site-built single family dwellings within the same or equivalent zoning district
.
Localities shall not adopt or enforce any zoning, land-use, or development regulation that treats manufactured homes differently or more restrictively than a single-family site-built dwelling allowed in the same zoning district. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as limiting the authority of localities to adopt ordinances pursuant to §§
10.1-2206.1
and
15.2-2306
designed to protect existing or future areas of historical or archaeological significance, historical sites, historical landmarks, and historical buildings and structures, or to establish local historical districts.
B.
C.
Localities adopting and enforcing zoning regulations under the provisions of this article may, to provide for the general purposes of zoning ordinances, adopt uniform standards, so long as they apply to all residential structures erected within the
agricultural
zoning district
or other districts identified in subsection A of this section incorporating such standards
. The standards shall not have the effect of excluding manufactured housing
built in compliance with the Virginia Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Law (§
36-85.2
et seq.)
.
C.
D.
Local zoning ordinances adopting provisions consistent with this section shall not relieve lots or parcels from the obligations relating to manufactured housing units imposed by the terms of a restrictive covenant.