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Affordable Housing Development on Religious and Nonprofit-Owned Property
FAITH IN HOUSING
In April 2026, Virginia enacted a temporary state law that may create a by right approval pathway for certain affordable housing developments proposed on land owned by qualifying religious institutions and nonprofit organizations.
Prince William County recognizes that faith-based and mission-driven organizations may wish to explore housing options that support their communities. The County is preparing to administer this state legislation when it becomes effective, including establishing a process for evaluating whether a proposed development qualifies for the state-authorized pathway.
This page provides preliminary information for property owners, development partners, residents, and other interested parties. It will be updated as County procedures, forms, and implementation guidance are finalized.
- Implementation Update
The Virginia legislation described on this page takes effect January 1, 2027. Prince William County is developing procedures and guidance for implementation.
In the interim, property owners and prospective applicants are encouraged to contact County staff directly to support discussion around prospective applications.
- What Does this Mean
The legislation is designed to allow qualifying affordable housing development on certain tax-exempt religious and nonprofit-owned properties without requiring some of the discretionary land-use actions that are ordinarily part of the development process.
The state law does not authorize every housing proposal on religious or nonprofit property. Instead, it establishes a set of eligibility conditions that must be met before a project may use the alternative process.
Prince William County’s role will be to review submitted materials, apply the requirements established by state law, and administer the applicable technical and permitting reviews.
- Effective Dates
State legislation is scheduled as follows:
- January 1, 2027 - State law becomes effective
- January 1, 2031 - State law is scheduled to expire
For more information about this legislation, online resources are available:
- Code of Virginia § 15.2-2288.9 (Effective January 1, 2027 – January 1, 2031)
- Senate Bill 388 (2026 Regular Session)
- House Bill 1279 (2026 Regular Session)
- County Contact
Prince William County is continuing to evaluate the legislation and prepare local administrative procedures.
For preliminary questions, contact:
Department of Development Services
Land Development Division
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (703) 792-6830Please include the property address or tax parcel number, the name of the property-owning organization, and a brief description of the proposed housing concept when contacting County staff.