At forum, Central Virginia House of Delegates candidates discuss housing policy, affordability

Richmond-area House of Delegates candidates participated in a forum focused on housing affordability and economic issues last Thursday night. Virginia Poverty Law Center hosted the event at the main branch of the Richmond Public Library. 

Housing affordability and rental protections were key topics addressed at the forum as well as ideas on energy affordability and debt collection. With rising inflation, long-simmering housing stock and affordability issues in much of Virginia, and the state’s need to contend with federal funding fallout, affordability has emerged as a key campaign talking point.

Those in attendance were Dels. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, Rae Cousins, D-Richmond, Deborah Gardner, D-Chesterfield and Betsy Carr, D-Richmond, along with Scott Konopasek, who’s vying to represent House District 59 that spans Hanover, Louisa and Henrico, Jonas Eppert, who is angling to represent Chesterfield County-anchored House District 74, and Lindsey Dougherty, who is again running to represent House District 75, which includes Chesterfield, Hopewell and Prince George. None of their Republican challengers were in attendance.

Housing affordability and quality 

While the forum covered a range of affordability issues from energy to taxes, the bulk of the questions focused on housing policy. 

Konopasek shared his experience as a landlord and said that lawmakers should take people’s hardship into account to help curb evictions. 

One such proposal has already been explored but was met with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s veto this year. The bill, by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, would have extended the rent grace period from five days to 14 days. The idea is that the extended time gives tenants a chance to resolve sudden financial setbacks and be less likely to face eviction. 

Eppert also said he supports the idea of limits on raising rent. A related idea was presented this year by Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, which would require advance notice to tenants if rents are being raised and would have set limits on the rates if it had become law. 

As Gardner’s district includes some mobile home neighborhoods, she was asked how the state can further help localities preserve these communities. In mobile home neighborhoods,  residents own their homes but  often don’t own the land beneath them. Sometimes developers purchase these properties and then residents are forced to move. Despite the term “mobile” being in the name, the housing type is often not stable enough to be relocated once initially placed. 

“We need to make sure that when parks are purchased, there are restrictions on what (developers) can do when they redevelop,” Gardner said, adding ideas for policy solutions that would discourage displacement or support families in their relocation.

Del. Mike Jones, D-Richmond — who moderator and journalist Michael Pope said was a “last-minute addition” to the forum emphasized how “localities can make a difference in housing projects that they allow to come in.” Jones is running for reelection and was a former Richmond City Council member.

However, tensions often emerge when the state legislature floats ideas to encourage or require certain housing actions by localities, because local governments have authority over local land use decisions like zoning and housing developments. 

A bill by Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, which passed that chamber this year before falling in the Senate, would have incentivized localities who address housing affordability issues before permitting the state to step in if they don’t.

“We have to assist localities either with a stick or a carrot to make these things happen,” Jones said. 

When asked about accountability for landlords in maintaining habitability for tenants, Gardner recalled how local news almost always includes “somebody complaining about a slumlord.” 

While the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has been referenced in lawsuits challenging landlords for unsafe living conditions, Gardner believes the legislature can find ways to strengthen it. 

Willett shared that when door-knocking for his campaigns or volunteering for Meals on Wheels, he’s seen firsthand how some homes and apartments exist in “unacceptable” conditions. 

On that front, Cousins had carried a bill that Youngkin vetoed which would have allowed tenants to bring a lawsuit against their landlord over abatement issues while putting their rent into an escrow account in the interim. 

Energy affordability and debt collection

Though housing dominated the forum, energy affordability was a flashpoint in the discussion.

When asked how energy costs could be brought down, Eppert noted how the proliferation of data centers in the state are driving up energy costs for Virginia consumers. 

“Dominion is a regulated monopoly. Key word, ‘regulated,’” Eppert said. 

He also suggested data centers could tap into renewable energy and battery storage to generate additional electricity on site. 

Dougherty echoed what Eppert had suggested and noted Dominion Energy’s proposed gas peaker plant in her district.

When responding to a question about debt collection, Jones and Cousins pointed to a proposed bill this session that failed which they’d like to vote on again. Carried by Del. Phil Hernandez, D-Virginia Beach, the proposal would have regulated how wage garnishments occur. 

Jones also noted that people sometimes fall into debt after a medical emergency and then have trouble getting back on track. 

Absent Republicans weigh in

While Republicans did not attend the gathering, the Virginia Mercury reached out to them the day before the event to ask broadly about their housing affordability policy plans. Most did not respond to requests for comment.

In a phone call, Republican Del. Carrie Coyner — who serves on the state’s Housing Commission and is the incumbent candidate in House District 75 —  emphasized her bipartisan effort with Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield (who is running for lieutenant governor) to create a special housing assistance fund that low-income families with school-aged children can tap into. The goal, dubbed “5,000 Families” is to prevent displacement during school years should a family become financially unstable. 

“We know that kids who are able to stay in the same school for their entire school year have higher rates of getting ahead and keeping up in school than children who have to move around,” she said, and added that she’s been in touch with constituents facing such situations. 

Though the proposal did not clear budget negotiations, she plans to try again next year. She also wants to bring back a bill to ensure that properties are appraised with their affordability status taken into account. The bill was left in a committee this session. 

“You can’t keep your rent affordable, and then have the assessors charging you as if you’re collecting full market rate rent,” Coyner said.

A spokesperson for Kelsey Linnehan, a Republican running against Cousins to represent House District 79, said that the campaign was not invited to the event but shared ideas for addressing affordability issues. 

Linnehan supports eliminating Virginia’s car tax — a proposal both gubernatorial candidates Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger back and which has failed when previous administrations have tried to undo it. In Richmond specifically, Linnehan appreciates the city council’s consideration of lowering property tax rates, “which would also make home ownership more affordable.” 

Richmond City Council recently delayed a vote on the proposal Linnehan referenced to a meeting date next month. 

Editor’s note: Due to Jones’ status as an unexpected participant in the candidate forum, The Mercury was not able to reach out to his opponent, Republican Richard Stonage, ahead of the event as it did for other candidates. 

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.