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Housing

P Passed

P HB375
Housing Revitalization Zone Act. Allows the Governor to designate housing revitalization zones for the purpose of encouraging private sector rehabilitation of blighted areas through grants. The program is to be administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Eligibility for zone designation includes areas that (i) have per capita income below 80 percent of the median per capita income for the planning district or (ii) have a residential vacancy rate that is at least 120 percent of the average vacancy rate for the planning district. Qualified business firms and qualified owner occupants are required to meet minimum investment levels based on the type of construction. Also, the bill (i) specifies that 50 percent of all money received by local governments as grants from the Virginia Removal or Rehabilitation of Derelict Structures Fund be utilized in areas designated by the Governor as housing revitalization zones and (ii) increases from $200,000 to $1,000,000 the maximum grant from such fund. This is a recommendation of the Commission on the Condition and Future of Virginia's Cities.
Patron - Reid

P HB454
Virginia Fair Housing Law; housing for older persons. Conforms the Virginia Fair Housing Law to the federal Fair Housing Law in the area of housing for older persons. The bill removes the requirement that, in order to qualify for housing for older persons, there be significant facilities and services specifically designed to meet the physical or social needs of older persons, or, if the provision of such facilities and services is not practicable, that such housing is necessary to provide important housing opportunities for older persons. The bill also provides that the 80 percent threshold necessary to qualify for housing for older persons shall be based on the number of occupied units and not the total number of units occupied by persons aged 55 years or older. As a result, it may be easier to qualify for housing for older persons and exclude families with children.
Patron - Cantor

P HB518
Uniform Statewide Building Code; rehabilitation of existing buildings. Directs the Board of Housing and Community Development to make changes that are necessary to the Uniform Statewide Building Code to improve low and moderate housing, including adequate training of building officials and Code enforcement personnel. The bill requires the Board of Housing and Community Development to report to the 2002 Session of the General Assembly in its progress in this regard.
Patron - Clement

P HB745
Building code violations. Provides that the fine imposed on a person convicted of a third or subsequent violation of the Uniform Statewide Building Code involving the same property shall be no less than $2,500 nor more than $5,000 with none of the fine being subject to suspension. Current law provides for a fine of not more than $2,500.
Patron - Cantor

P HB1088
Uniform Statewide Building Code; farm buildings and structures. Repeals the July 1, 2000, sunset clause relating to the definition of "farm building or structure" and the exemption of such buildings or structures from the provisions of the Uniform Statewide Building Code. The bill also provides that the Building Code exemption to does not apply to restaurants operated on farms.
Patron - Orrock

P SB711
Housing Revitalization Zone Act. Allows the Governor to designate housing revitalization zones for the purpose of encouraging private sector rehabilitation of blighted areas through performance based grants. The program is to be administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Eligibility for zone designation includes areas that (i) have per capita income below 80 percent of the median per capita income for the planning district or (ii) have a residential vacancy rate that is at least 120 percent of the average vacancy rate for the planning district. Qualified business firms and qualified owner occupants are required to meet minimum investment levels based on the type of construction. The bill requires that at least 25 percent of any increase in real estate tax revenues in housing revitalization zones be appropriated within such zones for those tax years in which grants are paid to qualified business firms and qualified owner occupants. This is a recommendation of the Commission on the Condition and Future of Virginia's Cities.
Patron - Watkins

F Failed

F HB572
Manufactured Housing Board; membership. Allows the Governor, in the event that manufactured home manufacturers are not available, to appoint citizens who have knowledge of the industry to fill the two appointments on the Virginia Manufactured Housing Board. The bill also provides that current members of the Board whose terms have not expired as of July 1, 2000, are not affected.
Patron - Bryant

F HB1104
Uniform Statewide Building Code; application to certain farm buildings. Adds the definition of "farm building and structures" as a building or structure not used for residential purposes located on property where farming operations take place and used primarily for any of the following uses or combinations thereof: (i) storage, handling, production, display, sampling or sale of agricultural, horticultural, floricultural or silvicultural products produced on the farm; (ii) sheltering, raising, handling, processing or sale of agricultural animals or agricultural animal products; (iii) business or office uses relating to the farm operations where the area utilized for such office use has an occupancy load of less than 11 people; (iv) use of farm machinery or equipment or maintenance or storage of vehicles, machinery or equipment used on a farm; (v) storage or use of supplies and materials used on the farm; or (vi) implementation of best management practices associated with farm operations. The bill also provides that farm buildings and structures are exempt from the provisions of the Building Code, except those portions of farm buildings and structures that (i) have over 2,000 square feet used for retail trade purposes or for the sampling of agricultural products or (ii) are used by the general public for any type of public assembly purposes where 75 or more people are present at any one time. However, farm buildings and structures lying within a flood plain or in a mudslide-prone area shall be subject to flood-proofing regulations or mudslide regulations, as applicable. The bill provides that the term "retail trade" does not include the sale of live animals.
Patron - Albo

C Carried Over

C HB1145
Housing; powers of housing authorities; limitations. Requires that real property identified by a housing authority for redevelopment be acquired by the housing authority within 36 months after announcement of the redevelopment plan. If a housing authority decides against acquiring real property identified for redevelopment, it shall reimburse the owner of such property his reasonable expenses related to the proposed acquisition of his property, upon request. This is a recommendation of the joint subcommittee studying eminent domain issues.
Patron - Drake

C HB1331
Uniform Statewide Building Code; inspection warrants. Authorizes the issuance of inspection warrants for the enforcement of the Uniform Statewide Building Code by local building departments and sets the procedure for the issuance of the inspection warrant. Currently, fire officials have this authority to enforce the Fire Prevention Code.
Patron - Almand

C SB616
Virginia Water Supply Revolving Fund. Transfers administration of the Virginia Water Supply Revolving Fund from the Board of Health to the Department of Housing and Community Development. In addition, the bill requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health to develop the intended use plan required by the federal Safe Water Drinking Act. The bill also provides that the provisions of the act will not become effective until the memorandum of agreement is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Patron - Wampler

C SB662
Unlawful discrimination. Prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of sexual orientation.
Patron - Marsh


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