General Assembly to Meet to Budget Federal Aid
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General Assembly to Meet to Budget Federal Aid
By Tommy Herbert, VAMA's Manager of Government Affairs
Soon Virginia’s General Assembly will meet again, and this time in person, to allocate and divide up the roughly 7 billion dollars in federal aid that is coming down to Virginia’s state and local governments as a result of the American Recovery Plan. The exact dates have yet to be determined, but early-August is looking like a likely timeframe for the chambers to open once more, this time with the General Assembly seated in their chambers in the Virginia Capitol for the first time since the 2020 Regular Session in January of last year.
The Governor and the majorities in the House of Delegates and the Senate have already laid out their priorities in a release in May regarding how they would like the funds spent. The five areas that they lay out for targeted funding are public health, small business support, the unemployment system, public education, and rural broadband. But the scale of the federal funds is something genuinely unprecedented in the history of Virginia’s relationship with the federal government, and there will need to be a comprehensive process in place to make sure that those dollars are allocated properly.
As the new Special Session moves forward, it is also likely that there will be legislation dealing with housing issues such as eviction and other housing topics that have been forced to the forefront by the COVID pandemic as well. After over a year of continued eviction moratoria at various levels of government, the multifamily housing industry is hurting. VAMA is continuing to contribute toward efforts that will create more clarity for residents, such as working on the annual update to Virginia’s Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities and working to make better policy so that those going through unlawful detainer proceedings understand their rights and obligations throughout. Those efforts will continue, however the constant clipping of the constitutional rights of housing providers to enforce legally-entered-into contracts must end, and VAMA will maintain a commitment to returning to a sustainable policy on eviction that is consistent with law and both the US and Virginia Constitutions.
There will be a role for VAMA’s members to play here as well. Now more than ever, it is a crucial time not to fall silent in the halls of power. VAMA will be reaching out to ask for your support and for your voice when the time comes, and it cannot be overstated how much of a help it is to our efforts when we have the industry united behind our efforts. Stay tuned for more as more details emerge on how the General Assembly will be meeting.
As ever, VAMA’s government affairs team is here to work for you. If you have questions about policy or legal topics that you need answers to, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Tommy Herbert, VAMA’s Manager of Government Affairs, at tommy@vamaonline.org.
