The calendar soon will flip from 2023 to 2024, and the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors is gearing up to make its case to members of the General Assembly on key topics.
“We ensure our members’ voices are heard as decisions are being made about the laws and regulations that shape our industry,” said Josh Veverka, senior director of government affairs for the organization, in a recent video touting the trade organization’s 2023-24 legislative priorities.
The package “is a culmination of meetings and feedback taken directly from our 13,000 members,” and was then adopted by the organization’s board of directors, Veverka said.
The organization also advocates at the federal and local levels, but its efforts at the state level (in conjunction with the Virginia Association of Realtors) may have the most impact on the profession, since much that affects real estate is regulated at the state level.
As part of its package, the Realtors’ group:
• Is advocating for a broader array of housing options, including reductions in the requirements on lot sizes, parking and setback, all part of a broader push to build more homes in what in the past have been largely single-family areas.
• Asks for incentives that would encourage landlords to sell investment properties to current tenants rather than investors, and encourage homeowners to sell to buyers who will use the homes as a primary residence. The goal is to “prevent institutional investors from scooping up all of the available housing.”
• Seeks retention of the “Dillon Rule,” which in Virginia aggregates power at the state rather than local level. But it also asks for “granting of reasonable administrative functions to the localities.” (What constitutes “reasonable” is not spelled out.)
• Seeks a relaxation of restrictions of short-term rentals in residential areas.
• Opposes imposition of rent-control measures.
• Seeks support from the state government allowing high-school students to receive the necessary coursework to receive a real-estate license at graduation.
The General Assembly will go into session in early January for what is expected to be a 60-day session that will include adoption of the biennial state budget.
