CHAPTER 411
An Act to direct the Department of Housing and Community Development to convene a stakeholder advisory group to evaluate the construction of internal, attached, and detached accessory dwelling units as a strategy to address the Commonwealth's growing demand for affordable and market-rate housing.
[H 2053]
Approved March 30, 2021
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. That the Department of Housing and Community Development (Department) shall convene a stakeholder advisory group to evaluate the construction of internal, attached, and detached accessory dwelling units as a strategy to address the Commonwealth's growing demand for affordable and market-rate housing. The stakeholder advisory group shall (i) to the extent possible, collect data from stakeholders regarding the current state of the for-sale and rental accessory dwelling unit market in the Commonwealth and information regarding projected demand for accessory dwelling units; (ii) solicit input from stakeholders regarding the current implementation of local accessory dwelling unit ordinances in the Commonwealth; (iii) solicit input from stakeholders regarding locally and state-enacted impediments to the development or construction of accessory dwelling units, including state statutes, building codes, and local zoning ordinances and development standards; (iv) identify local tools to facilitate the construction of accessory dwelling units, including alternative permitting processes, waiver or modification of local parking requirements or ratios, expediting permitting processes, small lot ordinances, and density adjustments; and (v) develop recommendations for state policy changes to remove obstacles to local implementation of accessory dwelling units. The stakeholder advisory group shall include representatives from the Department, the Virginia Housing Development Authority, local planning departments, and local building departments; individuals with expertise in land development, construction, land-use and zoning laws and processes, affordable housing, the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, sustainable development, public transit, common interest communities, property owners' associations, or other areas of expertise as determined by the Department; an affordable housing representative; representatives from social equity organizations; a union representative; a youth organizer; and a representative from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). To the extent possible, the Department shall endeavor to ensure balanced geographical representation among the members of the stakeholder advisory group, with representation of rural, suburban, and urban localities and regions of the Commonwealth. The stakeholder advisory group shall receive staff support from the Department. Prior to the first meeting of the stakeholder advisory group, to the extent possible, the Department shall solicit input from the stakeholder advisory group members on the issues enumerated by clauses (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) and compile such information for presentation at the first meeting of the stakeholder advisory group, and the Department shall continually solicit and compile such input throughout the work of the stakeholder advisory group. The stakeholder advisory group shall report its findings, including any legislative recommendations, to the Director of the Department, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the commissioners of the Virginia Housing Development Authority, and the Virginia Housing Commission no later than November 1, 2021. The Department may, in its sole discretion, be permitted to continue its work beyond November 1, 2021, but no later than November 1, 2022.