Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today applauded the Senate passage of the nation’s annual defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill, which includes key Warner-led priorities, must now be conferenced with the House’s version of the bill, before ultimately being signed into law by the President.

“As the world becomes more dangerous and the technology available to our allies and adversaries alike becomes increasingly more complex, I’m pleased to see the Senate pass this bipartisan legislation,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation will strengthen our military, provide greater support to servicemembers, bolster our technological capabilities, and address challenges across the globe.”

For the Commonwealth, this bill:

Authorizes more than $958 million for 13 military construction projects across the Commonwealth, which Senator Warner advocated for with the Armed Services Committee. This includes:

$380 million for a Public-Private housing project at Naval Station Norfolk
$188 million for dry dock modernization at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
$24 million for the completion of two Child Development Centers (JEB Little Creek-Ft Story and NS Norfolk), and $15.5 million in funding for the VA National Guard to complete the next stage of their Aircraft Maintenance Hangar project.

Provides $30.9 billion for Navy shipbuilding – more than $10 billion over the President’s budget request.
Greenlights the procurement of up to five Columbia-class submarines, as well as funding for the Virginia-class submarine and aircraft carrier programs.
Prevents funding from being misused to reduce the workforce at any public shipyard, including Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Authorizes NASA to reimburse the Town of Chincoteague for expenses related to relocated PFAS contaminated water wells to a safe location. From the late 1970s to 1988, PFAS were used at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. In 2017, NASA detected PFAS in wells used to provide drinking water to the Town of Chincoteague and has since needed to provide the town with drinking water – first from an uncontaminated NASA well and then through a groundwater treatment system that filtered out the PFAS. This provision was championed by Sen. Warner and based off legislation he introduced earlier this year.
Includes a major housing package championed by Sen. Warner that would boost the nation’s housing supply, improve housing affordability, help reduce homelessness, expand access to homeownership, and increase oversight and efficiency of federal regulators and housing programs.
Includes a CDFI package championed by Sen. Warner that would:

Expand the reach of the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program by reducing the minimum loan size needed to be eligible to utilize the program. This will allow more community development projects and make the program accessible to smaller CDFIs.
Increase transparency within the CDFI Fund by requiring the Treasury Secretary to testify annually before Congress.
Supports additional capacity for CDFIs in both rural and urban communities.
Expands a USDA pilot program that works with Native CDFIs to help Native families achieve homeownership.

For a stronger military, this bill:

Authorizes a 3.8 percent pay raise for servicemembers.
Creates a new Personal Property Management Office, and establishes stricter requirements and oversight mechanisms for any future contract related to the servicemember PCS move process. This builds on Sen. Warner’s successful efforts to secure modifications to the military’s broken moving system. Sen. Warner previously raised concerns about ongoing delays and confusion, and sounded the alarm about missed pickups, delivery issues and communication difficulties with the military contractor responsible for moves.
Includes a package of reforms to barracks housing, led by Sen. Warner, which will allow for increased oversight of housing for these servicemembers. These provisions mandate a review of housing quality methodologies, reform those metrics to ensure they accurately reflect the quality of housing, and take steps to standardize methodologies across military services; develop a centralized tracking system for barracks construction needs; and improve a number of reporting requirements aimed at increasing transparency and improving the quality of housing for our servicemembers.
Makes a number of additional improvements to military housing policy, including increased visibility around dispute resolution payments by landlords, a prohibition on mandatory non-disclosure agreements (NDA) as a condition of securing housing, as well as greater transparency requirements around the calculation of housing allowance rates.
Creates additional safety requirements in the wake of the American Airlines Flight 5342 collision with a military helicopter over the Potomac River. Specifically, this legislation sets a requirement that all DoD aircraft operating near commercial airports be equipped with position broadcast technology. This legislation also directs the development of standard operating procedures that maximize the use of such technology, as well as a review of DoD policies and procedures for data gathering, risk assessment and risk mitigation of U.S. military flights, especially as it relates to differentiating between flights in the U.S. domestic airspace.
Directs DoD to reverse recent name changes to Virginia military installations, specifically directing that these be reverted to the names recommended by the DoD’s Naming Commission. This bill also prohibits the Secretary of Defense from making any further changes to these names.

To strengthen our nation’s technological capabilities, this bill:

Includes Warner provisions to support DoD’s fielding of advanced nuclear technology. The bill includes provisions that would create an Advanced Nuclear Working Group responsible for accelerating the procurement and use of advanced nuclear capabilities, improving coordination across the Department and federal government, and developing advanced nuclear pilot projects to support national security missions and emergent needs. The bill also provides greater authority for DoD to attract and scale private investment in these technologies. Sen. Warner worked with bipartisan colleagues to secure inclusion of these provisions in the Senate bill.
Requires Cyber Command to develop an AI roadmap for industry and academic collaboration to build AI-enabled cyber tools and technologies.
Requires a strategy to reestablish a credible deterrence against cyberattacks targeting American critical infrastructure using the full spectrum of military operations.
Requires the establishment of a Biotechnology Management Office, as well as the development of a DoD-wide strategy to enhance the use of biotech products.
Requires the development of guidelines on the ethical and responsible development and deployment of biotech within DoD.
Requires DoD to develop a roadmap for the small, unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) industrial base to support existing sUAS programs.
Requires regular congressional briefings from the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, about Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) intercepts by the North American Aerospace Defense Command or United States Northern Command.

To bolster our ability to address strategic global challenges, this bill:

Prohibits a unilateral reduction in U.S. military force posture in Europe or U.S. relinquishment of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe position until the Secretary of Defense assesses the impact on U.S. and NATO interests and certifies to Congress that such action is in the national interest.
Prohibits a unilateral reduction in U.S. military posture in the Korean Peninsula or a change in wartime operational control over the Combined Forces Command until the Secretary of Defense certifies to Congress that such action is in the national interest.
Authorizes $1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative and expands the authority to cover combat casualty care and medical equipment.
Directs DoD to engage with Taiwan to develop a joint program to co-develop and co-produce drone capabilities. It also directs DoD to assess Taiwan’s critical digital infrastructure and identify actions to strengthen it.
Extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2028 and increases authorized funding to $500 million.
Requires the Secretary of Defense to continue to provide intelligence support, including information, intelligence, and imagery collection to the Government of Ukraine.
Directs DoD to work with Ukraine to develop a depot-level maintenance plan to ensure that western-transferred military equipment can be sustained.
Establishes a pilot program to deepen cybersecurity cooperation with the Government of Panama and the Panama Canal Authority and further protect the Panama Canal from adversarial actors.
Requires an evaluation of the intelligence capabilities of the People’s Republic of China and Russia in Cuba.
Requires a report to assess the advisability, feasibility, and cost of using DoD personnel in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to provide translation and interpretation services in connection with border security operations.
Directs DoD to evaluate and, if necessary, improve communication between the U.S. and Mexican militaries during border-related support.

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[ADDITIONAL PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE HERE]

RICHMOND, Va. – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), in partnership with the Virginia Association of Counties, the Virginia Housing Alliance, and Henrico County, convened the “Keys to Housing Affordability Summit” at The Westin Richmond.

As part of this half-day summit, the senator hosted a series of panels that delved into nonprofit efforts to address housing challenges, current housing market data and forecasts, and smart local initiatives that are making a difference in places like Fairfax, Henrico, and the town of Marion. The senator also delivered a keynote address during which he charted a comprehensive path for addressing the national housing crisis through his Road to Housing legislative agenda.

“Affordable housing isn’t just about buildings or budgets, it’s about people, families, and communities,” said Sen. Warner after the event. “If we want communities to thrive, we’re going to need an ‘all-the-above’ approach to tackling the housing crisis. I was proud to host this summit today to bring Virginia’s best housing minds together and collaborate on real, tangible solutions.”

A national leader on the issue, Sen. Warner has put forth a number of legislative proposals to address the problems contributing to the national housing crisis:

PROBLEM		LEGISLATION	THE FINE PRINT
Demand for homes has far outpaced supply.	→	The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would lead to more affordable housing options for families and workers by expanding and strengthening the nation’s most successful affordable housing program.	This legislation would build nearly 1.6 million new affordable homes over the next decade by increasing the number of credits available to states, stabilizing financing for workforce housing projects, and improving the Housing Credit program.
	→	The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act would encourage developers to rehabilitate and build affordable, owner-occupied homes in the communities that need them most. This bill would build and preserve more than 500,000 affordable, single-family homes for homeownership over ten years in under-resourced communities.	This legislation would create a new tax incentive that will cover the cost between building or renovating a home in these areas and the price at which they can be sold.
	→	The *RESIDE Act* would help communities convert vacant buildings – such as abandoned hotels, warehouses, and strip malls – into affordable homes.	This legislation would create a new pilot program to provide grants to local governments for acquisition, site prep, and rehabilitation of vacant properties, with priority given to communities that reduce regulatory barriers to housing conversion.
	→	The New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act* would permanently extend the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) in order to encourage redevelopment and new construction in communities across the country.*	This legislation would permanently extend the NMTC, which attracts capital to low-income communities by providing private investors a 39 percent federal tax credit for investments made in businesses or economic development projects, including housing.
Affordable housing in rural America is decaying and disappearing.	→	The Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act* would support more investment in rural and low-income housing.*	This legislation would clarify IRS code to ensure that Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs), such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are able to participate in partnerships that are crucial for low-income housing investments.
	→	The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act would make it easier to build housing in rural communities by cutting red tape, reducing cost-burdens to rural home owners and small developers, and providing affordable housing incentives.	This legislation would make improvements to the tax code, making rural Historic Tax Credit projects more financially feasible, resulting in a higher number of these projects being completed in rural areas and states.
People in underserved communities cannot access the financing needed to purchase a home.	→	The Scaling Community Lenders Act would increase lending capacity and support for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), allowing CDFIs to expand access to affordable housing in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities.	This legislation would authorize new resources to activate and fund the long-dormant Section 113 of the Riegle Act of 1994 – the CDFI liquidity enhancement program – allowing the CDFI Fund to finance projects within the industry, selected on a competitive basis, to provide liquidity to CDFIs.
First-generation homebuyers are finding it harder and harder to buy a home.	→	The Downpayment Toward Equity Act would provide federal grants to aid first-generation homebuyers with qualifying expenses toward purchasing their first home, including downpayment costs, closing costs, and costs to reduce the rates of interest.	This legislation would administer grants of up to $20,000 to qualified first-generation homebuyers through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
People of color continue to be significantly underrepresented in homeownership.	→	The Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act would offer new homeowners a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan, helping families traditionally underrepresented in the housing market to grow equity twice as fast.	This legislation would establish a program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to sponsor low fixed-rate 20-year mortgages for first-time, first-generation homebuyers who have incomes equal to or less than 120 percent of their area median income.
Faith-based organizations wanting to address the affordable housing crisis run into steep bureaucratic barriers.	→	The Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act* would help faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education who want to transform underused property into much-needed affordable housing.*	This legislation would provide resources and incentives to support the development and preservation of affordable rental housing on property these institutions already own. It would also provide technical assistance and grant funding for communities that remove barriers to affordable housing on property owned by faith-based organizations or colleges.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) today introduced the Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act, new legislation designed to help faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education unlock the promise of their existing land holdings by transforming underused property into much-needed affordable housing. The bill would provide resources and incentives to support the development and preservation of affordable rental housing on property these institutions already own. The YIGBY Act is part of a comprehensive effort by Sen. Warner to tackle one of the most pressing economic challenges facing Virginians and families across the country: the rising cost of housing.

“Too many families are getting priced out of their communities because of the skyrocketing cost of housing,” said Sen. Warner. “If we want to make housing more affordable, we need to get creative and take advantage of opportunities that already exist. The YIGBY Act is about breaking down barriers and giving faith communities and colleges the support they need to put their land to work creating safe, affordable homes.”

The YIGBY Act would:

Provide technical assistance to faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education seeking to use their land for affordable rental housing;
Provide technical assistance to local governments on best practices to streamline permitting and reduce barriers; and
Create $50 million per year in grants for communities that adopt policies removing barriers to affordable housing on property owned by faith-based organizations or colleges.

The legislation has endorsements from the United Church of Christ, Lutheran Services in America, LeadingAge, True Ground Housing Partners, Virginia Housing Alliance, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Text of the bill is available here.

The YIGBY Act builds on a series of Warner-led proposals aimed at addressing the housing affordability crisis. Today, Sen. Warner is also re-introducing two pivotal bills to further his affordability agenda:

The LIFT Homebuyers Act (LIFT Act) creates a program offering 20-year fixed-rate mortgages tailored for low- and moderate-income, first-generation homebuyers in order to cut monthly housing payments and boost homeownership accessibility.
The Scaling Community Lenders Act would increase lending capacity for community financial institutions, expanding access to affordable housing finance in underserved communities.

Sen. Warner has made housing affordability a top priority, advancing proposals to increase supply, expand financing options, and reduce costs for working families. In recent months, he has introduced and supported a range of bipartisan bills to spur new housing construction and redevelopment, including the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act, Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act, the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, and the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act. Additionally, Sen. Warner is a cosponsor of the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, which would provide federal grants to help first-generation homebuyers cover down payments, closing costs, and other upfront expenses.

In July, the Senate Banking Committee advanced a package of bipartisan housing proposals to the Senate floor which included several measures championed and supported by Warner, including the RESIDE Act, legislation drafted by Sen. Warner and Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) to create a new pilot program to help communities convert vacant buildings – such as abandoned hotels, warehouses, and strip malls – into affordable homes. That package now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

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VIDEO OF SEN. WARNER’S REMARKS AT THE COMMITTEE MARKUP IS AVAILABLE HERE

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs unanimously voted to advance the Bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act. This legislation, which includes several provisions authored and championed by Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), will take important steps to boost the nation’s housing supply, improve housing affordability, help reduce homelessness, expand access to homeownership, and increase oversight and efficiency of federal regulators and housing programs.

“Everywhere I go in Virginia, I hear from families and local leaders who are struggling with the high cost of housing. I’m proud to see several key proposals that I have authored and championed included in this bipartisan legislation, which will help get more housing built, expand access to homeownership, and make sure federal programs are doing their job effectively. This is a strong step forward in addressing the housing crisis, and I’m glad to see it move out of committee with unanimous support,” said Sen. Warner.

The legislation includes several Warner-authored or championed provisions, including:

The RESIDE Act, legislation drafted by Sen. Warner and Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) to create a new pilot program to help communities convert vacant buildings – such as abandoned hotels, warehouses, and strip malls – into affordable homes. The program would operate within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the nation’s largest federal block grant dedicated to affordable housing. It would provide grants to local governments for acquisition, site prep, and rehabilitation of vacant properties, with priority given to communities that reduce regulatory barriers to housing conversion. Since its inception in 1992, the HOME program has invested over $788 million into communities across Virginia – helping build and preserve over 31,000 homes, create over 37,000 jobs and generate $2.4 billion in local income. The RESIDE pilot will allow communities to scale new housing development and test innovative strategies that could ultimately be adopted more broadly within the HOME program.
The Housing Supply Frameworks Act, which directs HUD to develop best-practice zoning and land-use frameworks to help localities overcome barriers to new housing development.
The Whole-Home Repairs Act, which establishes a five-year pilot program offering grants and forgivable loans to help low- and moderate-income homeowners and qualifying small landlords address critical home repairs and health hazards, preserving affordable units and stabilizing aging housing stock.
The Innovation Fund, which would authorize $800 million to support locally-driven initiatives that expand housing supply and reduce costs.
The HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Act, which reauthorizes and modernizes HUD’s HOME Investments Partnerships Program and makes critical updates to improve the program and facilitate the construction of more affordable housing.
The Housing Supply Expansion Act and Modular Housing Production Act, which would expand access to manufactured and modular housing by reducing barriers to construction and financing.
The Streamlining Rural Housing Act, which directs HUD and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to coordinate on joint environmental reviews for housing projects funded by both agencies – helping reduce delays and improve efficiency for rural housing development.
The Rural Housing Service Reform Act, which enacts critical reforms to the USDA’s Rural Housing Service, including decoupling rental assistance from maturing mortgages to preserve affordable housing in rural areas. If fully implemented, this reform would preserve 243 affordable properties serving more than 10,000 low-income Virginians.
The Build More Housing Near Transit Act, which amends the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program to allow the agency to give transit projects a higher rating if they are located in areas that adopt policies to encourage more housing construction near public transportation hubs.
The VA Home Loan Awareness Act and Veterans Affairs Loan Informed Disclosure (VALID) Act to improve financing transparency for veteran homebuyers and help them access potentially more affordable mortgage options.
The Community Investment and Prosperity Act, which makes some regulatory changes to give banks greater flexibility to invest in affordable housing and community development projects.
The Reforming Disaster Recovery Act, which permanently authorizes the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program and establishes a dedicated Office of Disaster Management and Resiliency within HUD to oversee and streamline disaster housing recovery efforts.

Today’s committee action builds on Sen. Warner’s longstanding commitment to expanding access to affordable housing and homeownership. In recent months, he has introduced and supported a range of bipartisan bills to spur new housing construction and redevelopment, including theNeighborhood Homes Investment Act, Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act, Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act, the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, and the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act. He is also the lead author of the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act, which would help qualified first-generation homebuyers build equity in their homes by offering a 20-year mortgage with monthly payments comparable to a traditional 30-year loan. Additionally, Sen. Warner is a cosponsor of theDownpayment Toward Equity Act, which would provide federal grants to help first-generation homebuyers cover down payments, closing costs, and other upfront expenses.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) has introduced two new pieces of bipartisan legislation to encourage new development, expand supply, and make housing more affordable for Virginians.

“In communities across the Commonwealth, both rural and urban, too many families are struggling to find safe, affordable housing,” Sen. Warner said. “This crisis needs an all-hands-on-deck solution, and that’s why I am proud to continue to look for innovative solutions to help tackle this problem. These bipartisan bills offer commonsense solutions to help boost our housing supply by both protecting our current stock and supporting new investment.”

The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, introduced with Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), would create a new tax incentive to build and preserve more than 500,000 affordable, single-family homes for homeownership over ten years in under-resourced communities. The tax credit will cover the cost between building or renovating a home in these areas and the price at which they can be sold. The credits would only be available after the homes have been completed and sold to a homeowner – ensuring the investors, not the government, bear the risk. Full text of the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act is available here.

The Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act, introduced with Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), will support more investment in rural and low-income housing by clarifying the tax-exempt controlled entity rules to ensure that Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs), such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are able to participate in partnerships that are crucial for low-income housing investments. Full text of the Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act is available here.

These bills are just the latest in Sen. Warner’s longstanding efforts to expand access to homeownership and make housing more affordable for Virginians. Since January, he has introduced multiple bills to amend the federal tax code to encourage new housing construction and rehabilitation, including the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act, the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, and the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act – all bipartisan bills to encourage redevelopment and new construction in communities across the country. He is also the lead author of the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act to help qualified, first-generation homebuyers build equity in their homes by offering a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan. Warner has also joined his colleagues in sponsoring the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, which would provide federal grants to assist first-generation homebuyers with qualifying expenses toward purchasing their first home, including down payment costs, closing costs, and costs to reduce the rates of interest.

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WASHINGTON —Today U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner joined Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) in introducing legislation to help build nearly 1.6 million new affordable homes over the next decade. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would lead to more affordable housing options for families and workers by expanding and strengthening the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, our country’s most successful affordable housing program.

Currently, nearly one-in-four renters, over 11 million families, spend more than half of their household income on rent, cutting into other essential expenses like child care, medication, groceries, and transportation. At the same time, over 600,000 Americans are experiencing homelessness on any given day, an increase over pre-COVID levels.

Since its creation, the Housing Credit has built or restored more than 4 million affordable housing units, nearly 90 percent of all federally funded affordable housing during that time. Roughly nine million American households have benefitted from the credit, and the economic activity that it generated has supported 6.6 million jobs and spurred more than $746 billion in wages.

“The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is one of the most successful tools our country has to address the affordable housing crisis our communities are facing,” Sen. Warner said. “I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to update and modernize this credit in order to build more homes, bring down costs, and tackle the growing demand for housing across the Commonwealth and the country.”

More specifically, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would:

Increase the number of credits available to states by 50 percent for the next two years and make the temporary 12.5 percent increase secured in 2018 permanent—which has already helped build more than 59,000 additional affordable housing units nationwide;
Stabilize financing for workforce housing projects built using private activity bonds by decreasing the amount of private activity bonds needed to secure Housing Credit funding. As a result, projects would have to carry less debt, and more projects would be eligible to receive funding; and
Improve the Housing Credit program to better serve veterans, victims of domestic violence, formerly homeless students, Native American communities, and rural Americans.

Joining Sens. Warner, Young, and Cantwell in introducing this legislation are Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act was also recently introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL-16), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Randy Feenstra (R-IA-04), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19).

The ACTION Campaign and the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition endorsed the bill.

“The reintroduction of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act is a vital step toward addressing our nation’s housing crisis. Expanding the Housing Credit is the most effective way to increase the supply of affordable housing, leveraging public-private partnerships to build and preserve homes for working families, seniors, and vulnerable communities. At a time when rents are rising and supply is lagging, strengthening the Housing Credit will ensure that more Americans have access to safe, stable, and affordable housing,” said co-chairs of the ACTION Campaign Ayrianne Parks and Jennifer Schwartz. “The ACTION Campaign thanks Senators Todd Young, Maria Cantwell, Marsha Blackburn, and Ron Wyden for their leadership.”

“The overwhelming bipartisan support for the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 underscores the critical need to increase the supply of affordable rental homes,” said Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition Chief Executive Officer Emily Cadik. “We thank Senator Todd Young, Senator Maria Cantwell, Senator Marsha Blackburn, and Senator Ron Wyden for their leadership and the 30 bipartisan cosponsors for supporting this commonsense solution to expand and strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a proven, pro-growth tool with a nearly 40-year record of leveraging private investment to fill a critical need.”

This is the latest action in Sen. Warner’s longstanding efforts to make housing more affordable for Virginians. So far this year, he has already introduced the New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act, the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, and the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act – all bipartisan bills to encourage redevelopment and new construction in communities across the country. He is also the lead sponsor of the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act – which would create a new tax incentive to build and preserve more than 500,000 affordable, single-family homes over ten years – and the lead author of the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act to help qualified, first-generation homebuyers build equity in their homes by offering a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan. Warner has also joined his colleagues in sponsoring the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, which would provide federal grants to assist first-generation homebuyers with qualifying expenses toward purchasing their first home, including down payment costs, closing costs, and costs to reduce the rates of interest.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) have introduced the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, legislation that would make it easier to build housing in rural communities by cutting red tape, reducing cost-burdens to rural home owners and small developers, and providing affordable housing incentives.

“Being a rural state shouldn’t mean losing out on private investment incentives like tax credits to help us preserve our communities’ history and revitalize local economies,” Sen. Capito said. “I have enjoyed working with the dedicated group of West Virginians who brought this issue to my attention and who provided important perspectives during the creation of this legislation. The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act will help level the playing field for communities in West Virginia by attracting investment for economic expansion and additional housing supply.”

Currently, many historic tax projects are not economically viable in small and rural areas, giving a disproportionate advantage of the credit to large urban developments. The costs associated with the credit as-is severely limits rural areas from being able to use the credit to rehabilitate and revitalize historic properties. Through improvements to the credit included in the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, rural Historic Tax Credit projects will be more financially feasible and will result in a higher number of these projects being completed in rural areas and states.

The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act:

Makes historic tax credit projects in rural areas eligible for an increased credit from the current 20% to 30%.
Includes an additional increase in the credit to 40% for affordable housing creation.
Allows the credit be used in addition to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).
Allows small rural projects to claim the credit in the first year of use.
Allows transferability of the credit to a third-party.
Eliminates basis adjustment to simplify credit transaction.

“Senators Capito and Warner recognize the need to improve the Historic Tax Credit so it can continue to be a cornerstone of redevelopment across the country,” said Albert Rex, Chair of the Historic Tax Credit Coalition (HTCC). “We appreciate their leadership on this issue and look forward to working with them to ensure that communities in West Virginia and Virginia can have better access to the HTC and more impactful projects can happen there and across the country, especially in rural communities.”

This bill is supported by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, The Historic Tax Credit Coalition, Main Street America, and The National Trust for Historic Preservation.Companion legislation in the House of Representatives is being led by U.S. Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH-15).

The full bill text for the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act is available here.

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WASHINGTON —U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Steve Daines (R-MT), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation that will permanently extend the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) in order to encourage redevelopment and new construction in communities across the country, including Virginia. The New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act will permanently extend the NMTC, which attracts capital to low-income communities by providing private investors a 39 percent federal tax credit for investments made in businesses or economic development projects, including housing.

“The New Markets Tax Credit is a vital tool in the fight to build more housing and encourage investment in communities that need it most. By leveraging this program, we can encourage economic development, expand opportunity and make housing more affordable for families across the country,” said Sen. Warner.

“The New Markets Tax Credit spurs growth and creates jobs in our communities across Montana. Making this program permanent will encourage the opportunities and economic stability our country needs to continue thriving,” said Sen. Daines.

NMTC investments take place in all 50 states. In the last 20 years, $81 billion in NMTC allocations has financed more than 8,500 businesses and projects with total project costs of over $130 billion. The NMTC Program created or retained more than 894,000 jobs and supported the construction of over 56.7 million square feet of manufacturing space, 94.5 million square feet of office space, and 67.2 million square feet of retail space across the country.

The New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act is one of several bills Warner has introduced or plans to introduce in the 119^th Congress to expand access to housing and make housing more affordable for Virginians.

Joining Sens. Warner and Daines in introducing this legislation are Sens. John Boozman (R-AK.), Peter Welch (D-VT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Hickenlooper (D-CO(), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Corey Booker (D-NJ).

“The New Markets Tax Credit has been an essential tool for LISC to finance community revitalization work in Virginia and throughout the country. NMTCs have enabled LISC to finance a wide array of projects in disadvantaged communities, including the Petersburg Public Library, the Anna Julia Cooper School and The Market at 25th project in Richmond’s east end. These projects provide important educational resources, community facilities, healthy food options and affordable housing for local residents. LISC strongly supports the New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act and thanks Senator Warner for his leadership in making this vital tax credit permanent,” said Jane Ferrara, Executive Director, LISC Virginia.

“Our New Markets Tax Credit allocation will allow Locus to fill project financing gaps by providing both equity and affordable debt to projects that may not move forward otherwise. This financing tool will allow Locus to deepen its outreach efforts and drive more capital into projects that create jobs and drive economic development in areas that need it most,” said Clyde Cornett, CFO and Interim CEO, Locus.

“New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) have proven to be vital tools in attracting billions in private investment into local communities. Every $1 of federal funding attracts $8 in private investment, which in turn creates jobs, enlivens communities, and spurs growth. We support a permanent NMTC program that can extend and amplify this efficient, market-driven solution in urban and rural areas across the country,” said Ellis Carr, President & CEO, Capital Impact Partners & CDC Small Business Finance.

“New Markets Tax Credits have been a game-changer in Appalachia and have helped us create and retain over 8,170 jobs across the region, supporting economic development in underserved communities. We appreciate Senator Warner’s continued leadership and efforts to strengthen the program and to make the New Markets Tax Credits permanent,” said Bryan Phipps, President and CEO, People Incorporated.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $46,670,000 in federal funding to support disaster recovery efforts in Virginia following Hurricane Helene. The funding, which the senators pushed for, was part of the disaster relief package that passed to fund the government. The funding is allocated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, which provides flexible funding to support long-term recovery efforts in impacted communities, including restoration of public infrastructure, homes, and businesses, and funding for job training, workforce development, and loans and grants to support economic revitalization and local businesses.

“We’ve both visited Southwest Virginia in the wake of Hurricane Helene to hear directly from those impacted by the storm—and rebuilding those communities remains a top priority,” said the senators. “We were glad to secure these resources in the end-of-year package because this flexible funding is going to be critical to helping communities rebuild where it’s most needed. We will continue to support individuals across Southwest Virginia as they build back their homes, businesses, and communities.”

Warner and Kaine have been vocal advocates for significant federal resources to support Virginia’s recovery from Hurricane Helene and both met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia to tour damage and discuss federal support. They voted to pass short-term government funding legislation that included $110 billion in disaster relief for communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton after repeatedly urging Congress to act. Last October, the senators successfully urged the Biden Administration to submit a supplemental funding request to cover the costs associated with Hurricanes Helene and Milton and successfully secured robust disaster relief funding for public lands and federal lands in Southwest Virginia.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act. This bill aims to streamline processes, reduce cost-burdens to rural home owners and small developers, and provide affordable housing incentives.

“By expanding access to historic tax credits, we can preserve our nation’s rich heritage while also incentivizing the construction of more affordable housing. I’m proud to join Senator Capito in introducing this legislation to bring new life to abandoned buildings and grow the housing stock in in rural communities,” Senator Warner said.

“Being a rural state shouldn’t mean losing out on private investment incentives like tax credits to help us preserve our communities’ history and revitalize local economies,” Senator Capito said. “I have enjoyed working with the dedicated group of West Virginians who brought this issue to my attention and who provided important perspectives during the creation of this legislation. The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act will help level the playing field for communities in West Virginia by attracting investment for economic expansion and additional housing supply.”

Currently, many historic tax projects are not economically viable in small and rural areas, giving a disproportionate advantage of the credit to large urban developments. The costs associated with the credit as-is severely limits rural areas, and especially largely rural states like West Virginia, from being able to use the credit to rehabilitate and revitalize historic properties.

Through improvements to the credit included in the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, rural Historic Tax Credit projects will be more financially feasible and will result in a higher number of these projects being completed in rural areas and states.

The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act:

Makes historic tax credit projects in rural areas eligible for an increased credit from the current 20% to 30%.
Includes an additional increase in the credit to 40% for affordable housing creation.
Allows the credit be used in addition to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).
Allows small rural projects to claim the credit in the first year of use.
Allows transferability of the credit to a third-party.
Eliminates basis adjustment to simplify credit transaction.

This bill is supported by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, The Historic Tax Credit Coalition, Main Street America, and The National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Click here for more on what others are saying about the bill.

Click here to view a one-pager on the bill.

Click here for full bill text.

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Washington – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a former fair housing lawyer, (both D-VA) announced $29,151,778.41 in federal funding for Greater Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity, Inc. to preserve long-term housing affordability for residents of the Southwood Mobile Park. The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Grant program, which supports communities in their efforts to maintain, protect, and stabilize manufactured housing and manufactured housing communities.

“Every Virginian deserves access to safe, affordable housing,” the senators said. “We are glad that this federal funding will help support homes and communities in Charlottesville, and we will keep working to support housing accessibility throughout the Commonwealth.”

Nationwide, over 22 million Americans live in a manufactured home—homes that are factory-built and then installed on a lot, making them a more affordable option for homeownership compared to new-construction homes. However, while residents often own the home, they typically lease the land underneath it. This can put residents at risk of losing their home if the land changes ownership. Greater Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity purchased the Southwood Mobile Park in 2007 to help prevent such displacement and has been working since then to make critical repairs and infrastructure improvements, while working to build a community where the residents ultimately own the land under their homes. This funding will help advance that goal.

Warner and Kaine have long advocated for safe, affordable housing for Virginia families. In April 2023, Kaine visited with residents of Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity builds and spoke to them about their experiences. The senators previously secured $1,015,000 to make necessary infrastructure improvements in the Southwood Mobile Park in the FY2022 Appropriations bill. Earlier this year, the senators announced over $98 million in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance and over $55 million in federal funding for improvements to affordable housing across the Commonwealth. This year they also announced over $13 million in federal funding to address lead-based paint hazards in homes across Virginia.

The senators have pushed for legislation to expand access to affordable housing. The senators have introduced the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, legislation to help first-generation homebuyers buy a home. Warner and Kaine have also introduced bicameral legislation to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers build generational wealth more rapidly by offering a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a former fair housing lawyer, (both D-VA) announced $1,450,000 in federal funding to address lead-based paint hazards in homes across Virginia. Many older homes still have lead-based paint on walls, which is dangerous when it peels and chips. Young children are most susceptible to lead poisoning and can face long-term developmental delays if exposed. The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program, which provides federal funding to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible homes.

“Lead poisoning can pose long-term health issues for those exposed,” the senators said. “This funding will help to protect Virginians from lead-based hazards and help ensure they have safe housing.”

The funding is broken down as follows:

$750,000 for the City of Roanoke.
$700,000 for the Commonwealth of Virginia. This funding will be distributed across Virginia by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s Lead Hazard Reduction Program.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long advocated for safe, affordable housing for Virginia families. This funding builds on the $11.6 million in federal funding the senators announced in October to address this issue. Earlier this year, the senators announced over $98 million in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance and over $55 million in federal funding for improvements to affordable housing across the Commonwealth.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $11,692,000 in federal funding to protect young children and their families from hazardous lead poisoning in their homes. The sale of lead-based paint is banned in the United States, but many older homes still have the old paint on walls, which can become dangerous as it peels and chips. Young children are most susceptible to lead poisoning and can face long-term developmental delays if exposed. This funding, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program, will be used to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in Virginia’s older housing units.

“Lead poisoning can have negative long-term health impacts for those exposed,” the senators said. “This funding will help to protect children and families by identifying and mitigating the presence of dangerous lead-based paint.”

This funding is broken down as follows:

The Commonwealth of Virginia will receive $6,692,000 in funding to update older housing and improve community health. This funding will be distributed across Virginia;
The City of Roanoke will receive $5,000,000 in funding to update older housing and improve community health.

Sens. Warner and Kaine been vocal about the need for safe, affordable housing for Virginians. Earlier this year, the senators announced over $55 million in federal funding for improvements to affordable housing across the Commonwealth.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, announced $55,516,821 in federal funding to improve affordable housing in 26 communities across the Commonwealth. The funding is awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Capital Fund Program, which annually provides funds to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to build, renovate, and modernize the public housing in their communities.

“All Virginians deserve access to safe, affordable housing,” said the senators. “We’re glad this federal funding will help our communities expand, renovate, and improve affordable housing units, and will continue to do all that we can to expand access to affordable housing in Virginia.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

· $14,365,691 for the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $10,700,670 for the Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $4,923,972 for the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $3,658,188 for the Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $2,214,776 for the Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $2,047,487 for the Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $1,714,697 for the Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $1,608,481 for the Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $1,584,848 for the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority

· $1,361,850 for the Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $1,266,189 for the Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $1,244,327 for the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $1,207,251 for the Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $1,177,309 for the Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $1,013,715 for the Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $895,502 for the Cumberland Plateau Regional Housing Authority

· $806,492 for the Marion Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $753,444 for the Norton Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $739,207 for the Wytheville Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $627,569 for the Wise County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $619,466 for the Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $382,263 for the Williamsburg Redevelopment & Housing Auth.

· $299,312 for the Scott County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $193,411 for the Lee County Redevelopment & Housing Authority

· $103,565 for the Abingdon Redevelopment and Housing Authority

· $7,139 for the Franklin Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Capital grants can be used to address maintenance needs, reduce vacancies, relocate residents, fund programs supporting economic self-sufficiency, support resident security, safety, and homeownership activities, integrate utility management and energy saving measures, and make other improvements.

Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to increase access to affordable housing. Last year, they announced $98,345,447in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance throughout the Commonwealth. In March 2023, they cosponsored the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, legislation to provide federal grants to first-generation homebuyers to cover down payment costs, closing costs, and costs to reduce the rates of interest. In April 2023, Kaine introduced the Fair Housing Improvement Act to protect veterans and low-income families from housing discrimination. Last July, Warner introduced bicameral legislation cosponsored by Kaine to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers –predominately Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly by offering a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan. This week, Kaine also cosponsored the Housing Alignment and Coordination of Critical and Effective Supportive Health Services (ACCESS) Act, legislation to address the intersecting crises of homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorder.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced their co-sponsorship of the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, legislation to address the growing concern around rising home prices, lack of access to home-buying assistance, and the widening wealth and homeownership gaps in Virginia and throughout the country. The bill would provide federal grants, administered through local entities, to aid first-generation homebuyers with qualifying expenses toward purchasing their first home—including downpayment costs, closing costs, and costs to reduce the rates of interest.

“Homeownership is one of the most powerful pathways to accumulate wealth, but first-generation homebuyers – predominantly people of color – still face steep obstacles to achieving it and punching their ticket to the middle class,” said Sen. Warner. “The Downpayment Toward Equity Act could serve as a powerful tool to level the playing field, close the racial wealth gap, and help more families achieve their American Dream.”

“I was a fair housing attorney in Richmond for nearly two decades, and I saw up close the impact that years of discriminatory housing policies had on families’ ability to purchase a home and benefit from the wealth building that comes from homeownership,” said Sen. Kaine. “While we’ve made significant progress in combating discriminatory policies since then, their lasting effects continue to be evident in the wide homeownership and wealth gaps that people of color face. The Downpayment Toward Equity Act would take a substantial step in addressing these gaps, by helping first-generation homebuyers overcome the disadvantages they face when trying to purchase a home.”

The Downpayment Toward Equity Act would administer grants of up to $20,000 to qualified first-generation homebuyers through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Additionally, HUD would have the ability to increase these grants for socially and economically disadvantaged homebuyers. States would receive 75% of the funds each year, distributed by population, median home prices, and racial disparities in homeownership, and the remaining 25% would be competitively awarded to CDFIs, MDIs, and other nonprofit, mission-driven entities that target services to minority and low-income populations.

Led by Sens. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Laphonza Butler (D-CA), the bill is also currently co-sponsored by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Accompanying legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters and has received enthusiastic support from housing, homeownership, and racial equity organizations across the country, including the National Coalition for the Homeless, National Consumer Law Center, Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc., Piedmont Housing Alliance in Charlottesville, VA, Habitat for Humanity International, Local Initiatives Support Corp., Mortgage Bankers Association, National Housing Conference, National NeighborWorks Association, National Fair Housing Alliance, National Association of Realtors, National Council of State Housing Agencies, National Coalition for the Homeless, National Consumer Law Center, and others.

Sens. Warner and Kaine are longtime supporters of initiatives to assist first-generation homebuyers. The senators introduced the L ow-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act to establish a program to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominantly Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly. The LIFT Act will establish a program at HUD, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to sponsor low fixed-rate 20-year mortgages for first-time, first-generation homebuyers who have incomes equal to or less than 120 percent of their area median income to increase access to homeownership for millions of families.

Text of the Downpayment Toward Equity Act is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) introduced bicameral legislation to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominately Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly. By offering new homeowners a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan, LIFT will allow individuals traditionally underrepresented in the housing market to grow equity twice as fast.

“Homeownership is one of the key ways Americans build capital and wealth. Unfortunately, racism and systemic discrimination in our housing laws have put this opportunity out of reach for far too many families of color,” said Sen. Warner. “The LIFT Act will help narrow the racial wealth gap by allowing qualified home buyers to build equity – and wealth – at twice the rate of a conventional 30-year mortgage.”

“It’s about time Congress took bold steps to support the American dream of homeownership for working class families that for too long have been left behind, which will not only allow more hardworking Americans to build generational wealth but also help close the racial wealth gap,” said Rep. Cleaver. “The LIFT Act builds upon President Biden’s economic agenda that focuses on building our economy from the bottom up and middle out, allowing more families to qualify for homeownership and build equity and stability in their home at an accelerated rate. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Warner and his colleagues in the Senate, as we seek to ensure every American has an opportunity to share in the prosperity of this great nation.”

“Homeownership is a key tool for Americans to grow their wealth and build economic stability, but for far too many people, this goal remains out of reach. This is especially true for people of color – which is why we need to address the legacy of discrimination in our housing policy. This bill will help level the playing field for first-time, first-generation buyers and empower them to build more wealth,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“Housing is dignity and security for hardworking families in Georgia and across the nation, and owning a home is a long-held pathway to building generational wealth. But too many families have been left out of the American dream of buying a home, and Congress should act to make it a reality for more people,” said Sen. Reverend Warnock. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the LIFT Act to help put the dream of homeownership in reach for working families in Georgia and nationwide, boosting our economy and helping provide families safety and security. Let’s get this done.”

“This is about helping first-time homebuyers pay down their mortgages and build wealth in their homes more quickly. I'm teaming up with Senator Warner to help low-income Georgians and first-time homebuyers build generational wealth,” Sen. Ossoff said.

“Homeownership is not only a key part of the American dream but also one of the best ways to build generational wealth,” said Sen. Kaine, a former fair housing attorney. “I’m proud to be joining my colleagues in introducing this bill to help first-generation homebuyers, particularly those from communities of color, build wealth and help address the racial wealth gap in our country.”

First introduced in 2021, the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act would establish a program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to sponsor low fixed-rate 20-year mortgages for first-time, first-generation homebuyers who have incomes equal to or less than 120 percent of their area median income. Treasury would subsidize the interest rate and origination fees associated with these 20-year mortgages so that the monthly payment would be in line with a 30-year Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgage.

For example: A first time homebuyer of modest means who purchases a property for $210,000 is likely to put down $10,000 and take out a $200,000 mortgage. In today’s market, a lender would offer this borrower a 6.5% 30 year FHA insured mortgage, for which the borrower would pay an annual 0.55% FHA insurance fee and a 1.75% up-front insurance fee, which would be folded into the mortgage. The borrower would have a monthly payment of $1,377. Under the LIFT program, the lender would instead offer this homebuyer a 5.5% 20-year FHA insured mortgage, which would include an up-front 4.00% FHA fee that would be folded into the loan and no annual FHA premium. The borrower would have a monthly payment of $1,430. By paying roughly the equivalent monthly payment, a borrower with a LIFT loan would build equity more than twice as fast.

By allowing borrowers to build equity through their homes at twice the rate of a comparable 30-year loan without meaningfully increasing the monthly payment, LIFT will improve the power of homeownership for millions of families. Coupled with well-targeted down-payment assistance, the LIFT program will make meaningful progress in narrowing the racial wealth gap, expanding and greatly strengthening the wealth-building benefits of homeownership in communities too long left behind by our existing financial structures.

A copy of the legislation is available here. A summary is available here.

This legislation has the support of a number of organizations including the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), the Center for Responsible Lending.

“The LIFT Act would be a groundbreaking new approach to help close the nation’s significant and troubling shortfall in homeownership among people of color and the associated substantial wealth racial gap. Focusing eligibility on first-time, first-generation homebuyers would target this assistance to families and individuals most in need of assistance while also narrowing racial homeownership gaps. And the use of subsidies to make a 20-year mortgage as affordable as a 30-year loan puts homebuyers on a path to rapidly accumulate home equity while also making homeownership less risky. The proposed approach is also highly cost effective by leveraging federal subsidies to enable homeowners to build wealth over time more quickly and effectively,” said Chris Herbert, Managing Director, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“Homeownership is the major source of wealth and assets for most American families. Senator Warner's proposed LIFT Act is a worthy initiative that can help families build equity faster and Opportunity Finance Network is pleased to endorse this legislation,” said Jennifer A. Vasiloff, Chief External Affairs Officer, Opportunity Finance Network.

“Homeownership is the best way to build wealth, especially for lower and moderate income households and families of color, and LIFT supercharges that wealth-building. By helping homeowners get a 20-year mortgage with a lower monthly payment consistent with a 30-year mortgage, LIFT preserves affordability and supports homeownership, but also allows homeowners to rapidly accumulate equity in their homes. LIFT is among the most effective ways policymakers have to address the nation’s pernicious problem of large and widening economic disparities,” said Mark Zandi, Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics.

“One of the most important benefits of homeownership is the ability to build wealth. In fact, it is the primary way millions of middle-income Americans have achieved economic stability for 75 years. While legally sanctioned racial discrimination seems like a thing of the past, outlawed in the 1968 Fair Housing Act, the reality is that the housing wealth affect continues to disadvantage people of color whose parents and grandparents never benefitted from a wide range of government programs that made homeownership possible to most Americans,” said David Dworkin, President and CEO, National Housing Conference. “The LIFT bill evens that playing field and will not only help close the wealth gap, but it will strengthen the economy for all Americans. Senator Warner has a long history of thinking outside the box and writing legislation that makes a difference in new and innovative ways. The LIFT Act is another example of his leadership.”

“The LIFT Act allows more first-time, first-generation prospective homeowners to realize their American Dream. This creates more generational wealth across different communities and supports low to middle-income Americans. AREAA is proud to support the continued efforts by Senator Warner to pass this legislation,” said Kurt Nishimura, President, Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA).

“NAHREP is pleased to support the re-introduction of the LIFT Homebuyers Act. The bill’s goal of helping homeowners expedite earning equity in their properties means the opportunity to build intergenerational wealth is all that more achievable,” said Gary Acosta, Co-Founder & CEO, NAHREP. “NAHREP is committed to helping Latinos realize their economic potential through homeownership and is encouraged by Senator Warner, Senator Kaine, Senator Warnock, Senator Ossoff, and Senator Van Hollen’s commitment to the same goal as evidenced in the LIFT Homebuyers Act.”

“The Virginia Housing Alliance applauds Senator Warner’s leadership and commitment to ensuring that the wealth building opportunity of homeownership becomes a reality for many more Americans through the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers Act (LIFT Act). In Virginia, the homeownership rate for non-Hispanic white households is 73% compared to just 48% for Black households. The LIFT Act will provide a transformative opportunity to close this gap and make the American dream of homeownership a reality for thousands of first time homebuyers in Virginia,” said Brian Koziol, Executive Director, Virginia Housing Alliance.

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WASHINGTON – Last week, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent letters to the Air Force, Army, Navy, and to the Department of Defense (DoD) regarding their implementation of privatized housing reforms and tenant protections for servicemembers and their families. After hearing from military families in Virginia about the hazardous and unsafe living conditions in many privatized military housing units that included leaking roofs, mold, and rodents, Sens. Warner and Kaine championed housing reforms, including the “Tenant Bill of Rights” in the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and the Senators have continued to push for housing support in subsequent defense bills.

Despite passing legislation to improve these conditions, a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that while DoD has made progress in implementing provisions, “gaps in guidance and training remain.” The Senators are urging DoD and each military branch to take a range of steps, including the necessary actions outlined in the report, to ensure that they are meeting their obligations towards servicemembers and properly implementing all necessary reforms. Specifically, the GAO focused on implementation of three reforms in order to give servicemembers and their families more leverage when dealing with unsafe and inadequate living conditions:

More detailed guidance on the formal dispute resolution process;
Improved guidance on the role of tenant advocates;
Better oversight of the condition of private housing units.

The Senators also called on DoD and the services to better incorporate resident feedback into the implementation process of the various protections, in order to inform continued progress and highlight areas for additional reform.

“Having spent years addressing privatized housing concerns from multiple fronts – hearing from families firsthand who are dealing with challenges, and helping them to address those; working with installation leadership to push for greater oversight and accountability for these housing projects; and demanding action from the privatized housing companies – we have been incredibly disturbed by some of the conditions that members of the military and their families have been subjected to,” the Senators wrote.

“The purpose of these reforms and continued Congressional oversight is to provide long-overdue improvement to the experience that military members and their families have with the privatized housing system,” they continued. “It is vital that the protections and reforms that we have put in place are implemented in a way that works for residents, and there must be a continual effort to examine the use of these reforms and processes.”

The letters include a series of questions aimed at better understanding the progress being made in implementation as well as better understanding what is causing certain delays. Among the questions are inquiries about the branches’ process when enacting these reforms as well as questions on what is being done to standardize implementation across the country so that all members of the military have access to, and can utilize, the same protections.

A copy of the letters can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) sent a letter to the CIM Group, a real estate owner and developer, highlighting the concerns of tenants at an affordable housing complex in Alexandria, who have reported declining conditions and increases in evictions and rents.

“We write to share troubling concerns we have heard from constituents regarding conditions of the Southern Towers apartment complex in Alexandria, Virginia since your firm, the CIM Group (CIM), took ownership of the property,” wrote the Senators. “Tenants have shared with our offices that, under CIM ownership, they have been subjected to eviction filings during the eviction moratorium, changes in how utilities are billed combined with rent increases that have led to substantial price hikes, and unaddressed maintenance issues that pose health and safety risks. Further, tenants have voiced that CIM issued unclear eviction notices indicating that tenants who were late on their rent payments had only five days to ‘pay rent or, alternatively, to terminate lease and vacate premises’ – only mentioning later in the notice that tenants located on a ‘covered property’ as defined by the CARES Act were entitled to a 30-day notice before vacating.”

The Senators urged CIM to quickly address these concerns directly with residents and work with tenants to resolve any outstanding concerns. The Senators highlighted the need to tackle these issues in the midst of a nationwide affordable housing crisis. Virginia alone is facing a shortage of over 170,000 units for extremely low-income households with the supply shortfall particularly pronounced in Alexandria, which lost an estimated 90 percent of its market-affordable units between 2000 and 2017.

They continued. “As a federally-backed property, it is incumbent upon CIM to manage Southern Towers in alignment with the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s mission to promote quality affordable housing. At a minimum, federally-backed properties should be well-maintained and free from health and safety risks, and have a responsive management team with transparent rent and utility pricing procedures. Moving forward, we urge CIM to meet regularly with tenants to hear their concerns, clearly communicate plans regarding deferred maintenance issues or pricing changes, and work directly with tenants to address issues in a timely manner.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase accessibility to affordable housing. Earlier this year, they announced over $98 million in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance throughout the Commonwealth. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Sen. Kaine has also introduced legislation that would protect veterans and low-income families from housing discrimination.

A copy of the letter is available here and text is below:

Dear Ms. Chang,

We write to share troubling concerns we have heard from constituents regarding conditions of the Southern Towers apartment complex in Alexandria, Virginia since your firm, the CIM Group (CIM), took ownership of the property. Tenants of Southern Towers have raised concerns regarding declining conditions, unresolved maintenance requests, and significant pricing changes. As such, we urge you to take immediate action to address these issues by engaging directly and frequently with the tenants and working quickly to resolve outstanding concerns.

As you know, Southern Towers is a five-building apartment complex located in Alexandria, Virginia. For years, it has been home to generations of immigrants and has become a haven of affordable housing where families can achieve economic stability. In 2020, CIM purchased the property with significant financial backing from Freddie Mac. Tenants have shared with our offices that, under CIM ownership, they have been subjected to eviction filings during the eviction moratorium, changes in how utilities are billed combined with rent increases that have led to substantial price hikes, and unaddressed maintenance issues that pose health and safety risks. Further, tenants have voiced that CIM issued unclear eviction notices indicating that tenants who were late on their rent payments had only five days to “pay rent or, alternatively, to terminate lease and vacate premises” – only mentioning later in the notice that tenants located on a “covered property” as defined by the CARES Act were entitled to a 30-day notice before vacating.

These issues are all the more staggering when considering that our nation is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Virginia alone is facing a shortage of over 170,000 units for extremely low-income households with the supply shortfall particularly pronounced in Alexandria, which lost an estimated 90 percent of its market-affordable units between 2000 and 2017. As the vast share of the undersupply is concentrated in low-income, high-opportunity markets, we know that the burden of this crisis is falling largely on low- and moderate-income families. It is more important than ever that our existing affordable housing stock is safe and available for those that need it most, including complexes like Southern Towers.

As a federally-backed property, it is incumbent upon CIM to manage Southern Towers in alignment with the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s mission to promote quality affordable housing. At a minimum, federally-backed properties should be well-maintained and free from health and safety risks, and have a responsive management team with transparent rent and utility pricing procedures. Moving forward, we urge CIM to meet regularly with tenants to hear their concerns, clearly communicate plans regarding deferred maintenance issues or pricing changes, and work directly with tenants to address issues in a timely manner. As CIM refers to itself as a “community-focused real estate investor”, we also urge CIM to offer assistance to tenants at risk of eviction by connecting them with government resources in an effort to keep more individuals and families in their homes.

It must be a priority that our most vulnerable communities are protected from displacement and have access to safe and affordable housing. We look forward to working with you to ensure that Southern Towers is a quality, affordable community for the tenants that call it home.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $98,345,447 in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance throughout the Commonwealth. The funding is awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program.

“All Virginians should have a safe place to live,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will support community development projects, improve affordable housing options, and help more Virginians find a home.”

Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase access to affordable housing. Earlier this month, the senators announced over $54 million in federal funding to improve affordable housing throughout Virginia. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

A breakdown of the funding by program is below.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): The CDBG program provides flexible funding to states, cities, and counties to support community development, including infrastructure, economic development projects, housing construction or rehabilitation, public facilities upgrades, homeowner assistance, and more.

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$18,806,749
Prince William County	$2,597,203
Loudoun County	$1,405,312
Henrico County	$1,652,427
Fairfax County	$5,682,469
Chesterfield County	$1,562,771
Arlington County	$1,340,757
Winchester	$250,138
Waynesboro	$172,162
Virginia Beach	$2,014,460
Suffolk	$496,361
Staunton	$319,410
Roanoke	$1,785,245
Richmond	$4,341,903
Radford	$204,683
Portsmouth	$1,544,932
Petersburg	$585,507
Norfolk	$4,427,961
Newport News	$1,278,265
Lynchburg	$708,843
Hopewell	$236,121
Harrisonburg	$506,946
Hampton	$914,517
Fredericksburg	$201,420
Danville	$853,442
Colonial Heights	$96,493
Christiansburg	$130,404
Chesapeake	$1,085,306
Charlottesville	$410,468
Bristol	$259,836
Blacksburg	$554,576
Alexandria	$1,094,483
TOTAL	$57,521,570

HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME): The HOME Program provides grants to states and localities that communities use - often in partnership with nonprofits - to build, buy, or rehabilitate affordable housing and provides direct rental assistance to low-income individuals.

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$11,249,059
Prince William County	$987,738
Loudoun County	$515,805
Henrico County	$1,024,604
Fairfax County	$2,385,371
Chesterfield County	$648,731
Arlington County	$861,407
Winchester	$688,202
Virginia Beach	$1,174,149
Suffolk	$426,831
Roanoke	$695,073
Richmond	$1,585,901
Portsmouth	$510,989
Norfolk	$1,413,815
Newport News	$858,556
Lynchburg	$378,083
Hampton	$575,846
Danville	$335,524
Chesapeake	$602,087
Charlottesville	$785,286
Blacksburg	$634,440
Alexandria	$712,411
TOTAL	$29,049,908

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): The ESG program provides funding for emergency shelter for people in crisis, outreach and essential services to those living on the streets, re-housing services, and homeless prevention programs.

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$3,205,897
Prince William County	$231,683
Fairfax County	$520,211
Virginia Beach	$172,983
Roanoke	$159,824
Richmond	$393,268
Norfolk	$389,791
TOTAL	$5,073,657

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): The HOPWA program provides housing assistance and support services to low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$1,631,954
Virginia Beach	$3,058,259
Richmond	$2,010,099
TOTAL	$6,700,312

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $54,074,769 in federal funding to improve affordable housing across the Commonwealth. The funding is awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Capital Improvements’ Capital Fund, which annually provides funds to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) for the development, financing, and modernization of public housing developments and for management improvements.

“Affordable housing should be accessible to all Virginians,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will help make improvements to affordable housing units and ensure more Virginians have a safe place to call home.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

$14,273,592 for the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$10,336,316 for the Norfolk Housing & Redevelopment Authority
$4,824,916 for the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$3,639,100 for the Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$2,129,956 for the Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$2,021,944 for the Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$1,679,717 for the Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$1,539,679 for the Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$1,528,841 for the Suffolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$1,273,668 for the Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$1,210,188 for the Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$1,189,457 for the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$1,154,475 for the Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$1,144,523 for the Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$998,220 for the Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$802,959 for the Cumberland Plateau Regional Housing Authority
$783,482 for the Marion Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$729,287 for the Wytheville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$672,297 for the Norton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$598,157 for the Wise County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$597,603 for the Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$374,675 for the Williamsburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$285,899 for the Scott County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$186,660 for the Lee County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$92,323 for the Abingdon Redevelopment and Housing Authority
$6,835 for the Franklin Redevelopment & Housing Authority

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase access to affordable housing. In December, they announced $842,000 in federal funding to help veterans access affordable housing and $940,000 to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Kaine has also introduced legislation that would protect veterans and low-income families from housing discrimination.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $940,732 in federal funding to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. The funding is awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Mainstream Vouchers program, which is similar to other Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) but specifically helps people with disabilities between ages 18-62 access housing.

“Every Virginian, including those living with a disability, deserves a decent place to live,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will help more Virginians find a safe place to call home.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

$502,140 for the Virginia Housing Development Authority, which will be distributed across Virginia
$228,485 for the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$174,521 for the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$35,586 for the People Inc. of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long worked to increase affordable housing in Virginia. In September, the senators announced over $4.2 million for affordable housing in the Commonwealth. In July, the Senators announced nearly $800,000 to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

###

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $4,275,080 in federal funding to help more Virginians access affordable housing. The funding will be awarded to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) across the Commonwealth through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Incremental Housing Choice Vouchers program.

“Rising rents and home prices are making it harder and harder for Virginians to find affordable housing options,” the senators said. “We’re glad this funding will help more Virginians across the Commonwealth find safe, affordable housing.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

$827,363 to the Virginia Housing Development Authority
$590,155 to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority
$307,394 to the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$246,989 to the Arlington County Department of Human Services
$275,732 to the Prince William County Office of HCD
$152,811 to the Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$133,126 to the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$168,800 to the Virginia Beach Department of Housing & Neighborhood Preservation
$254,170 to the Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$133,190 to the Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$61,800 to the Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$104,987 to the Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$163,219 to the Loudoun County Department of Family Services
$89,254 to the Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$56,761 to the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$69,356 to the Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$61,615 to the Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$62,381 to the Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$66,306 to the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
$61,917 to the County of Albemarle Office of Housing
$46,777 to the Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$37,367 to the Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$49,789 to the James City County Office of Housing
$34,459 to the Buckingham Housing Development Corp. Inc.
$22,586 to the Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$32,885 to the Franklin Redevelopment and Housing Authority
$30,231 to the Staunton Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$23,624 to the Marion Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$20,335 to the Scott County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$23,822 to the Covington Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$27,355 to the Accomack-Northampton Regional Housing Authority
$19,131 to the People Inc. of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon
$19,393 to the Norton Redevelopment & Housing Authority

Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) help low-income families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities afford housing of their choice. These new vouchers are an additional allocation of HCVs and will allow a greater number of Virginians to access safe and decent housing across the Commonwealth.

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to expand affordable housing in the Commonwealth. Earlier this year, the senators announced nearly $115 million for affordable housing in Virginia. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Sen. Kaine has also introduced legislation that would protect veterans and low-income families who use HCVs from discrimination.

###

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $789,913 in federal funding to help Virginians with disabilities access housing. The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Mainstream Voucher program, which is similar to other Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) but specifically assists non-elderly persons with disabilities between ages 18 to 62.

“Rents and home prices have skyrocketed, making it harder and harder for Virginians to find affordable housing,” said the senators. “We need to make sure all Virginians, especially those from vulnerable populations, have a safe place to live, and this funding is critical to doing that.”

A breakdown of the funding is below:

$441,684 for the Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$266,670 for the Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority
$81,559 for the County of Albemarle/Office of Housing

Sen. Kaine began his career as a lawyer specializing in the representation of people who had been denied housing due to their race, disability, or family status, and has long worked alongside Sen. Warner to increase affordable housing in Virginia. Earlier this year, the senators announced nearly $115 million for affordable housing in Virginia. They’ve also introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced the designation of $9,000,000 in federal funding to three Virginia-based organizations helping to provide affordable housing and services to low-income individuals. The funds were administered by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund through the department’s Capital Magnet Fund.

“Affordable, safe housing should be available to every Virginian,” the senators said. “This funding will allow Virginia organizations to continue their crucial work of securing housing for those in need.”

The funds will be broken down as follows:

$5,000,000 for the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, Inc. in Arlington, VA.
$2,000,000 for AHC Inc. in Arlington, VA.
$2,000,000 for the Piedmont Housing Alliance in Charlottesville, VA.

This funding comes in addition to the nearly $115 million in funding for affordable housing in Virginia announced earlier this year. Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase affordable housing in Virginia. The Senators have introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close the widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Also today, Kaine led the introduction of the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2022, which would expand protections under the Fair Housing Act of 1968 to include banning discrimination based on source of income, giving more individuals and families access to affordable housing and a shot at economic mobility.

Sen. Warner has also been a leader in Congress for CDFI investment. To combat the hemorrhaging of jobs and economic opportunities during the pandemic, Sen. Warner led a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing the Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act. Sen. Warner was later able to secure provisions from the bill in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, which was signed into law on December 27, 2020, providing an unprecedented $12 billion in funding for CDFIs. Last week, Sen. Warner introduced legislation to help unlock more equity and long-term financial capital for CDFIs to boost economic growth in low-income communities.

###

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $114,700,190 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to increase affordable housing across the Commonwealth.

“All Virginians deserve access to safe and affordable housing, but rents and home prices have skyrocketed across Virginia in recent years,” the senators said. “We’re glad that this funding will go to supporting the construction of new affordable housing units and help Virginians access more housing options.”

The funding was awarded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), and Housing Trust Fund (HTF).

Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase affordable housing. Warner and Kaine strongly advocated for increases in federal funding for these programs. Warner and Kaine have also introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close the widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

A breakdown of the funding based on program is below.

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$18,813,102
Alexandria	$1,143,364
Blacksburg	$534,673
Bristol	$269,250
Charlottesville	$414,907
Chesapeake	$1,141,624
Christiansburg	$125,664
Colonial Heights	$106,471
Danville	$852,803
Fredericksburg	$203,268
Hampton	$903,077
Harrisonburg	$538,229
Hopewell	$225,305
Lynchburg	$714,845
Newport News	$1,287,677
Norfolk	$4,435,015
Petersburg	$583,253
Portsmouth	$1,539,655
Radford	$183,174
Richmond	$4,474,570
Roanoke	$1,818,463
Staunton	$317,340
Suffolk	$488,891
Virginia Beach	$1,968,186
Waynesboro	$187,537
Winchester	$275,326
Arlington County	$1,333,133
Chesterfield County	$1,496,877
Fairfax County	$5,918,926
Henrico County	$1,645,428
Loudoun County	$1,379,452
Prince William County	$2,636,075
TOTAL	$57,955,560

HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME): The HOME program partners with nonprofits to build, buy, or rehabilitate affordable housing and provides direct rental assistance to low-income individuals. The Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bill included $1.5 billion for the HOME program and was the highest level of funding in the past decade.

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$12,031,604
Alexandria	$693,431
Blacksburg	$651,299
Charlottesville	$747,825
Chesapeake	$613,692
Danville	$328,742
Hampton	$570,404
Lynchburg	$421,034
Newport News	$871,322
Norfolk	$1,378,254
Portsmouth	$464,737
Richmond	$1,764,354
Roanoke	$760,067
Suffolk	$465,021
Virginia Beach	$1,163,266
Winchester	$713,163
Arlington County	$823,984
Chesterfield County	$679,539
Fairfax County	$2,471,231
Henrico County	$991,558
Prince William County	$1,015,307
TOTAL	$29,619,834

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$3,048,024
Norfolk	$382,849
Richmond	$384,355
Roanoke	$156,541
Virginia Beach	$171,520
Fairfax County	$515,135
Henrico County	$146,882
Prince William County	$226,857
TOTAL	$5,032,163

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): The HOPWA program provides housing assistance and support services to low-income individuals living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$1,582,493
Richmond	$1,794,492
Virginia Beach	$2,676,916
TOTAL	$6,053,901

Housing Trust Fund (HTF): The HTF provides funding for construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low- and very low-income households and requires HTF units to have a minimum affordability period of 30 years.

City/County	Amount of Funding
Commonwealth of Virginia	$16,038,732

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