Virginia is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis, and people of faith want to help. VICPP is supporting congregations building affordable housing, both in policy and practice!
In the legislature, VICPP has been leading the work the work on bills that would streamline the process for building housing on faith-owned land. In 2025, More than 250 clergy signed a letter asking Governor Younkin to support Faith and Housing initiatives by signing HB 2153. Click here to read the full letter with signatures
Virginia Interfaith will be hosting “Congregations and Housing” events around the Commonwealth in August of 2025. Click below for more information and to register as an attendee or exhibitor:
- Flyer for all three events- DOWNLOAD
- Petersburg, August 7, 2025
- Fredericksburg, August 14, 2025
- Newport News, August 28, 2025
- Also, check out our RESOURCE GUIDE HERE
Are you interested in hosting a similar event in your area? Reach out to Sheila Herlihy Hennessee, our director of Faith Organizing!
Read the full book, “Virginia Congregations Building Affordable Housing: A Match Made in Heaven“
Low– and moderate-income families struggle to find affordable housing in Virginia. According to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, 71 percent of very low-income Virginians spend more than half their incomes on housing. According to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), approximately 29 percent (~905,000) of households were cost-burdened as of 2019. With thousands of families on backlogged waitlists for public housing programs, Virginia must address its housing supply and affordability crises. This means addressing supply-side, with zoning reform and streamlining permitting for affordable housing. It also means addressing the high cost of housing for Virginia families, and protecting tenants from landlord overstep.
Resources from past years:
“Congregations and Housing” events in 2024:
Fact sheets from previous General Assembly sessions:
- 2025
- Faith and Housing – Enabling localities to streamline affordable housing on faith land
- Tenant Protections – Supporting the rights of people who rent
- Budget Amendments – Including funding for affordable housing
- 2024
- All housing priorities – Including tenant protections
- Yes in God’s Backyard Fact Sheet – Supporting congregations building affordable housing
- Affordable Housing Funding Fact Sheet – Ensuring housing has funding in the budget
Other resources for congregations about affordable housing
- Faith Based Property Ownership in Virginia
- PDF Report released with HousingForward Virginia
- Interactive website with report resources
- RESOURCE GUIDE for congregations interested in building housing
- Virginia Congregations Building Affordable Housing: A Match Made in Heaven
- Information on Chesterbrook Residences’ interfaith partnership