The “Yes in God’s Backyard” movement scored a win this week as the Faith in Housing bill passed the Virginia Senate after gaining initial approval in the House of Delegates.
The Senate voted 21-18 on Wednesday to pass state Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29)’s SB 388, which would eliminate the rezoning step for faith-based organizations and other tax-exempt nonprofits to develop affordable housing on their properties. The legislation might still need final approval in the House next year, however.
“We’ve got nonprofit organizations willing to step up and help us with some of our critical need for housing across the commonwealth,” McPike said.
A House companion bill from Del. Joshua Cole (D-65) made it to the full House of Delegates and passed in a commanding 60-36 vote, but a proposed amendment made in committee seeks approval again in the 2027 General Assembly session before it can take effect.
The Senate version calls for an effective date of Sept. 1, 2026, while the House version would take effect on Sept. 1, 2027 if it receives final approval. If both chambers pass the same bill with different wording, it goes to a conference committee to reconcile the differences.
McPike noted the legislation allows the affordable housing developments to be taxable, providing property tax revenues that localities usually wouldn’t get from tax-exempt places of worship. In response to concerns from several localities, McPike added amendments setting exceptions for military base zones and additional guidelines for developments in historic districts.
Aside from rezoning, affordable housing developments would be subject to the same guidelines and approval processes set by localities.
Numerous housing advocacy groups had lobbied for the Faith in Housing Act during the 2026 session.
“Congregations across Virginia want to use the land they already own to meet one of the most urgent needs in their communities — affordable homes,” said Laura Dobbs, policy director for advocacy group Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia. “The Faith in Housing bill cuts unnecessary red tape so churches and nonprofits can build homes for their neighbors, not sell to the highest bidder. At a time when Virginia needs hundreds of thousands more affordable homes, this is a smart, fair step forward.”
Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement, a group of religious leaders and congregation members, noted the bill won most of the swing votes the group was targeting.
“To everyone who trained, testified, met with legislators, organized turnout, sent emails, made calls, and pushed in these days: this is your win,” VOICE said in a statement. “We’re moving into crossover and there is still work to do to get these bills across the finish line. We will continue fighting for Homes for All.”
When SB 388 was in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Arlington County Board member JD Spain Sr. and the Rev. Alice Tewell of Clarendon Presbyterian Church were among the public speakers testifying in support.
Spain testified as an affordable housing advocate, not on behalf of the full Arlington County Board.
Tewell testified about the difficulties she and True Ground Housing Partners faced in trying to redevelop Clarendon Presbyterian Church.
“We want to build 90 affordable homes for seniors who we heard were living in their cars on our church property five minutes away from the Metro station so people can live with dignity into their golden years,” Tewell told the Senate Committee on Local Government. “We spent five years and over half a million dollars navigating the process, five years trying to get permission, not building, just waiting.”
Tewell said the church risks closing and being turned into single-family homes if the bill doesn’t pass.
Other churches, like Arlington Presbyterian Church and Central United Methodist Church, had more success developing housing on their properties. They partnered with housing organizations on redevelopment projects for their sites along Columbia Pike and in Ballston, respectively.
