Housing Passed HB740 Redevelopment projects; spot blight abatement. Permits Prince William County (described by county form) to recover from the owner the costs of repairs or disposal of certain blighted property (as defined by law) located outside of a conservation or redevelopment area. The costs expended by such counties constitute a lien on the property so repaired or acquired. Patron - McQuigg HB764 Housing; spot blight abatement. Adds Danville, Alexandria, and the City of Richmond (described by population) to those localities which may recover from the owner the costs of repair or disposal of certain blighted property. Also, the bill allows Fairfax and Prince William Counties (described by form of government), the Cities of Alexandria, Suffolk, Danville and Richmond (described by population), and the Town of Vienna (described by population), as an alternative to other remedies for spot blight abatement, the power to declare blighted property a nuisance and abate the nuisance in accordance with law. The bill also contains technical amendments. Patron - Devolites HB935 Uniform Statewide Building Code; definitions. Clarifies the definition of a farm building by adding a specific definition of "farm building or structure." The bill clarifies that "farm buildings or structures" shall be exempt from the provisions of the Building Code. The bill requires, however, that 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. Patron - Guest HB1103 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; administration. Increases the share of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding allocated for low-income weatherization assistance from 7.5 percent to 15 percent. LIHEAP is a federally-funded program furnishing heating and cooling assistance, together with home weatherization, to low-income households within the Commonwealth. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) administers the weatherization program. DHCD is directed to coordinate a study of the structure of delivery of LIHEAP services. Patron - Almand HB1121 Titles to real or leasehold properties; prohibited covenants and reversionary interests. Prohibits the solicitation or acceptance of any compensation for the release of covenants or reversionary interests restricting the occupancy or ownership of property on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and other similar bases. Violators will be liable to any person injured thereby in an amount equal to the greater of three times the compensation solicited or received, or $500, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. However, the bill does not void or nullify the release of unrelated covenants or reversionary interests in an instrument concurrently releasing the types of covenants and reversionary interests described above. The bill also clarifies existing law by declaring that reversionary interests connected to restrictive covenants currently prohibited are also void and contrary to public policy. Patron - Behm HB1297 Eminent domain; condemnation by a housing authority. Requires the commissioners to hear evidence on the value of the condemned property including, but not limited to, the owner's appraisal. Currently, consideration may be given to the effect that any pending application for a zoning change, special use permit application, or variance application may have on the value of the property. Housing authorities are also required to provide at least one of the property owners notice of their legal rights and an appraisal conducted by a licensed real estate appraiser. The bill also provides that the notice from the locality shall not be the basis for eligibility for relocation benefits. Patron - Hall HB1342 VHDA; powers. Authorizes VHDA to enter into agreements with the federal government or other parties for the provision by VHDA of services and assistance in the modification of a debt or in the improvement of the financial or physical condition of any housing development, including developments owned, financed or assisted by the federal government or financed by a mortgage loan insured by the federal government. The bill authorizes the inclusion in such agreements of indemnification by VHDA against liabilities and costs in connection with the provision of such services and assistance. The bill provides that the purchase or ownership by VHDA of any of its notes or bonds with the intent that such notes or bonds remain outstanding, after written notice to the trustee, shall not cause the notes or bonds to be cancelled or extinguished except under certain circumstances. The bill also provides that VHDA (i) may deposit its funds in federal home loan banks; (ii) may invest its moneys in (a) obligations or securities considered lawful investments for fiduciaries, (b) investments authorized for public funds, and (c) any other investments authorized for moneys held under any bond resolution or trust indenture which have long-term ratings of at least AA or Aa by two rating agencies, one of which must be Moody's Investors Services, Inc., or Standard & Poor's Ratings Group; and (iii) may contract with lenders other than the holders of its notes and bonds for the custody, collection, securing, investment and payment of moneys of VHDA. Patron - Diamonstein HB1428 Virginia Fair Housing Law. Eliminates the one-year limitation on the Board to investigate or make a determination of reasonable cause in fair housing cases. Patron - Hull SB338 Uniform Statewide Building Code; penalty for violations. Provides that each 15-day period during which a violation relating to a residential unit continues after the court-ordered abatement period has ended shall constitute a separate offense. Patron - Watkins Failed HB679 Virginia Manufactured Housing Board; installation. Defines "manufactured home installer" or "installer" as any person who for compensation or other valuable consideration performs manufactured home installation operations. The bill also (i) increases from nine to ten the members of the Manufactured Housing Board by adding a manufactured home installer, (ii) requires installers to be licensed by the Board, (iii) clarifies that the Board may conduct conferences as well as hearings on issues related to the revocation or suspension of a license, (iv) replaces the term "set-up" with "installation," (v) provides that an installer shall contribute $500 per licensed location to the recovery fund currently established, and (vi) caps the amount at $35,000 per installer for which a claim under the recovery fund can be made. There are technical amendments. Patron - Scott HB913 Uniform Statewide Building Code; enforcement. Requires a local governing body to enforce Volume II of the Building Code (the maintenance code for existing buildings) upon an affirmative finding by such body of a need to protect the health, safety and welfare of tenants of residential units. Patron - Ruff HB1205 Uniform Statewide Building Code; definitions. Clarifies the definition of a farm building by adding specific definitions of "farm" and "farm building or structure." Farm buildings and structures are exempt from the provisions of the Building Code, except in cases where such buildings lie within a flood plain or mudslide-prone area. Patron - Woodrum SB407 Housing; manufactured home dealers; notice to purchasers. Requires manufactured home dealers to provide notice of local zoning restrictions to prospective purchasers or owners. Patron - Reynolds < PREVIOUS | CONTENTS | NEXT >