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SB328 • 2026

Housing for local employees; grants for homeownership.

An Act to amend and reenact § 15.2-958.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to housing for local employees; grants for homeownership.

Education Housing Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Perry
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not mention employees of constitutional officers or additional flexibility for providing housing assistance specifically for school division personnel.

Housing Grants for Local Employees

This act removes limits on grants that help local employees buy homes in their area.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the maximum amount of $25,000 per employee for homeownership grants given by a locality to its workers and school board staff.
  • Eliminates the requirement that these grants follow specific income limits set by the Virginia Housing and Development Authority.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local government employees
  • School board staff

Terms To Know

Virginia Housing and Development Authority
A state agency that sets guidelines for affordable housing.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify a new maximum amount for the grants.
  • It is unclear how localities will decide on new grant amounts without specific limits.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 79 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 79 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0079)

  4. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  5. 2026-03-14 Governor

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

  6. 2026-03-10 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB328ER)

  10. 2026-03-04 House

    Read third time

  11. 2026-03-04 House

    Passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)

  12. 2026-03-03 House

    Read second time

  13. 2026-02-27 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Reconsidered by Counties, Cities and Towns (Voice Vote)

  14. 2026-02-27 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (15-Y 6-N)

  15. 2026-02-20 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Continued to 2027 in Counties, Cities and Towns (Voice Vote)

  16. 2026-02-10 House

    Placed on Calendar

  17. 2026-02-10 House

    Read first time

  18. 2026-02-10 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

  19. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate (25-Y 14-N 1-A)

  20. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Read second time

  21. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)

  22. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Rules suspended

  23. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  24. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  25. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  26. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  27. 2026-02-02 Local Government

    Reported from Local Government (10-Y 4-N 1-A)

  28. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105310D

  29. 2026-01-13 Local Government

    Referred to Committee on Local Government

Official Summary Text

Housing for local employees; grants for homeownership and workforce housing alternatives.
Eliminates the maximum amount a locality may provide (i) to employees of the locality, employees of the school board, and employees of constitutional officers for homeownership grants to purchase primary residences in the locality and (ii) to school division personnel for residential housing assistance grants to provide affordable workforce housing alternatives. The bill also eliminates the requirement that such grants adhere to the Virginia Housing and Development Authority regional sales price and household income limitation guidelines. Current law imposes a maximum grant amount of $25,000 for individual grants per employee, as well as a maximum lifetime cumulative amount of $25,000 per employee. This bill is identical to HB 164.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
15.2-958.2
of the Code of Virginia, relating to housing for local employees; grants for homeownership.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
15.2-958.2
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
15.2-958.2
. Grants for homeownership; workforce housing.
A. In order to ensure its competitiveness as an employer, a locality may
,
by ordinance
,
provide for the use of funds, other than state funds, to provide homeownership grants to employees of the locality, employees of the school board
,
and employees of constitutional officers, to purchase their primary residences in the locality.
The ordinance shall require that individual grants not exceed $25,000 per employee, nor lifetime cumulative grants exceed $25,000 per employee. Any such grants issued shall be subject to the Virginia Housing and Development Authority regional sales price and household income limitations.
The ordinance may establish such other terms and conditions to ensure the integrity of the homeownership grant program.
B. In addition to the homeownership grants authorized in subsection A, a locality may by ordinance, and in cooperation with the local school division, offer residential housing assistance grants
in amounts not to exceed those permitted in subsection A
and, with the local school division, enter into public-private partnerships and other arrangements to provide affordable workforce housing alternatives to school division personnel.