The housing crisis in this country has been years in the making and now it seems like Virginia is poised to make some progress on addressing it.
It’s a shame it’s taken so long, though, and given the complexities of the problem, it’s going to take a multi-pronged approach to address the crisis.
One of those prongs could involve churches and other faith centers—at least if Sen. Carroll Foy gets her way.
In addition to prioritizing labor reforms, Carroll Foy told Dogwood she plans to introduce legislation called Yes In God’s Backyard, which would let faith groups build affordable housing on their property.
“What that bill does is allow faith-based organizations to bypass a lot of the bureaucratic red tape in order to build accessible and affordable housing on their property,” Carroll Foy told me.
And there will also likely be legislation that lets homeowners build smaller, additional units on their properties, known as accessory dwelling units, said Laura Dobbs, director of policy at Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia.
Housing, of course, was a top issue for voters this election—a fact borne out by polling and from what I observed on the campaign trail. A pledge to address the housing crisis almost always got extra loud applause.
It’s enough to make one wonder why Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin didn’t do more to address the issue which cuts across party lines.
Would that not have been a better legacy as he presumably seeks office again someday rather than a failed stadium deal and going all in as a loyal foot soldier for President Donald Trump?
