Faith and Housing: understanding new laws for denominations

During the 2026 legislative session, Virginia's lawmakers passed a bill that makes it easier to build affordable housing on faith owned land. Together, advocates won the right to say "Yes" in God's backyard (or YIGBY), pushing back on a common refrain of "not in my backyard". However, maybe faith communities around Virginia have not heard about this new policy or considered pursuing this process. By sharing this information with leaders, more congrgations can consider and plan to take advantage of the new opportunity.

Join leaders from around Virginia to understand the new policy, learn about what development and partnership can look like, and connect with experts who have built these projects in the past.

Who: Faith leaders, especially denominational staff

When: 10:00-11:00 am on Wednesday, June 10

Where: Virtual (zoom link in confirmation email)

What: Reviewing how faith communities can live their mission by building affordable housing

•  Learn about new laws that make it easier to build housing on faith owned land 
• Receive an overview of the discernment and development process
• Consider what locations/ congregations might be interested in developing affordable housing