# Virginia HB4: Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty.

Virginia HB4, Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0352)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB4-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB4
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-11-17
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0352)
- Sponsor: Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (156 yes, 68 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Preservation of affordable housing; definitions; civil penalty. Creates a framework for localities to preserve affordable housing by exercising a right of first refusal on publicly supported housing, defined in the bill. The bill authorizes localities to adopt an ordinance that requires an owner to accept a right of first refusal offer by the locality or qualified designee, defined in the bill, in order to preserve affordable housing for at least 15 years. The bill requires that any locality with a population greater than 3,500 adopting such an ordinance to preserve affordable housing submit an annual report to the Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to existing law.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- 24-month notice and fines for owners: mixed, medium. Localities can require owners of publicly supported housing to give written notice 24 months before affordability ends to the locality, every tenant, and any tenant group. The notice must say if the owner will end affordability, convert the use, try to renew, or sell, and whether a buyer will follo…
- Local first chance to keep homes affordable: mixed, medium. After the owner gives the termination notice, the locality can pick a qualified buyer who agrees to keep the homes affordable for at least 15 years. The locality or its designee can record a right of first refusal that runs up to 24 months after affordability ends. If the owner accepts a bona fide…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 65 | 34 |   |
| 2026-01-27 | House | Reported from General Laws | pass | 15 | 6 |   |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 7 | 3 |   |

## Actions (26)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0352) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 352 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB4ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Reported from General Laws and Technology (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Assigned GL&T sub: Housing (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Read third time and passed House (65-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-01-29: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-27: Reported from General Laws (15-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2026-01-22: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HGL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection (House)
- 2025-11-17: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2025-11-17: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100154D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217595.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217594.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210454.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210453.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-11-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081201.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081200.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217595.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217594.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210454.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210453.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081201.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081200.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB4-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).