2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26103613D

HOUSE BILL NO. 142

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 5, 2026

A BILL to establish the Access to Housing Task Force for the purpose of furthering access to housing in the Commonwealth; report.

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Patrons—Gardner, Anderson, Guzman, Henson, Keys-Gamarra, LeVere Bolling and Rasoul

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Referred to Committee on Rules

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That there is hereby established the Access to Housing Task Force (the Task Force) for the purpose of furthering access to housing in the Commonwealth. The Task Force shall consist of six members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; the Secretary of Commerce and Trade or his designee; the Secretary of Health and Human Resources or his designee; the Director of Housing and Community Development; the Executive Director of the Housing Development Authority or his designee; and the Commissioner of Social Services or his designee.

The Task Force shall (i) advise the Governor on short-term and long-term housing issues, (ii) advise the state agencies of the Commonwealth on short-term and long-term housing issues, (iii) identify minority and low-income communities that may be affected by housing decisions made by the state agencies of the Commonwealth, (iv) seek input from residents of the Commonwealth, and (v) make recommendations to the Governor on strategies to increase the housing supply of affordable, attainable housing in the Commonwealth.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Task Force upon request. The Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2026. Such report shall be submitted 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.