Analysis: Zoning as a Hurdle to Affordability in Virginia

A piece by Alex Horowitz and Chase Hatchett for Pew Trusts zeroes in on the housing affordability crisis in Virginia, where homelessness has risen by 13 percent in the last five years and the housing market is short roughly 105,000 units. Statewide, rents increased by 25 percent since 2017.

“In previous times, builders would construct new starter homes to fill that void, but restrictive zoning in most jurisdictions, both in Virginia and nationwide, has blocked lower-cost starter homes through drawn-out permitting processes, large minimum lot sizes, and banning town houses and duplexes.” Yet research shows that the availability of more diverse types of housing lowers average rent costs and offers residents more options for affordable living. “If allowed by zoning, living in smaller homes—whether apartments or otherwise—closer to jobs, schools, stores, and extended family is attractive to many people to reduce commutes, transportation costs, and time spent in traffic.”