Tomorrow, August 18, Virginia legislators will reconvene to discuss a host of issues, including the Governor’s biennial budget, police and criminal justice reform, housing, access to broadband, additional COVID-19 relief, and more.
What is a special session?
The Virginia Governor may call a special session to address issues that were not addressed during the Regular Session, or in this case, to adopt a revised state budget due to the COVID-19 health crisis and to address social justice reform.
What housing issues will be discussed?
To ensure that Virginians have access to safe and affordable housing, the Governor has proposed the following:
- $88 million to combat evictions, including $85 million to the Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF), which expands access to affordable housing and reduces homelessness.
- $3.3 million to establish an Eviction Diversion and Prevention Pilot Program
- A pause on evictions until April 30, 2021, contingent upon landlords and tenants working together on a payment plan and financial assistance through Virginia’s Rental and Mortgage Relief Program.
