2025 Legislative Day

2026 STATE POLICY PRINCIPLES

The state policy principles below summarize the core values and objectives of HRACRE as it promotes the Hampton
Roads commercial real estate industry and the economic well-being of Hampton Roads and Virginia.
1. Economic Development Principles:

• Maintain and protect economic development initiatives that have proven to be and remain effective in stimulatingbusiness growth.
• Support economic development programs and local initiatives that foster and encourage regional economic development.
• Support Economic Development Authorities' continued independence and authority to act in ways consistent with their charters and for the betterment of the citizens they represent.
• Encourage investments in industries with a Hampton Roads-specific competitive advantage to sustain and expand economic development in Hampton Roads.
• Advocate for workforce development programs to expand technical and construction job opportunities.
• Promote affordable housing to support and attract economic development and strengthen the region’s workforce.

2. Land Use Issues Principles:

•  Advocate for fair distribution of infrastructure costs through broad-based tax policies.
• Support Virginia's existing local government proffer system and approach any additional changes with caution and
  study.
  
• Oppose granting local governments adequate public facility ordinance authority which allows a locality to prohibit a
  landowner from developing their property as currently zoned.
  
• Address labor laws at the state level rather than through local land use processes.
  
• Support land-use legislation that provides codified incentives for renewable technology in commercial and mixed-use development, including mandatory utility buyback of excess energy, renewable-investment tax credits, and expedited permitting.
  
• Oppose expanded impact fee authority for localities.
  
• Support the Dillon Rule's positive role in Virginia's economic development and the reasonableness and consistency
  of land use and environmental regulation in the Commonwealth.
•  Support drafting new alternatives or significant changes to Virginia’s existing local government tree replacement and conservation authority statutes through the creation of a stakeholder process that considers the additional layers of government requirements (e.g., VDOT, local buffering, stormwater, etc.) that ultimately contribute to loss of canopy on a project.

3. Transportation Funding Principles:

• Prioritize investments in critical transportation infrastructure projects that alleviate traffic congestion, support continued growth and vitality of Virginia business, and foster safe, convenient, resilient, and sustainable transportation for persons and goods.
• Promote diverse multi-modal transportation options in support of continued economic development, vitality, and growth, while preserving/enhancing existing broad-based funding sources for improved transit.
• Identify sustainable broad-based revenue sources for long-term transportation funding while remaining open to creative shorter-term revenue sources to address time-sensitive critical transportation needs.

4. Recurrent Flooding/Sea Level Rise Principles:

•  Promote the protection of historic investments in waterfront and related areas and oppose initiatives that promote,
  encourage, or require retreat in response to recurrent flooding and rising sea levels.
  
• Advocate for funding local climate change and resiliency projects to address and manage the threats of recurrent
  flooding and rising sea levels.
• Support existing and future climate change and resiliency measures that do not override established and frequently complex statewide regulations and codes (i.e., USBC).

5. Groundwater Permitting Principles:

•  Ensure that groundwater permitting, and restrictions do not penalize new development.
• Prioritize the management of aquifers as a resource for economic development.
  
• Support projects like the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) for aquifer replenishment.
• Explore and support cost-effective alternative water reuse methods.

6. Stormwater and Other Environmental Programs Principles:

• Balance water quality and quantity objectives in stormwater management while respecting property rights and taking into
  account the unique challenges in the Hampton Roads watershed.
  
• No increased statutory or regulatory requirements should be adopted under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act until the Act
  is amended to apply to all localities in the Chesapeake Bay.
• Maintain and expand existing nutrient bank service territories and availability.

7. Energy Principles:

•  Support continued access to an adequate natural gas supply to ensure energy security and stable costs.
  
• Monitor energy legislation related to carbon emissions, renewables, and energy efficiency for impact on commercial and
  industrial development.
  
• Support legislation that promotes affordable, abundant and clean energy for residential and industrial consumers. Oppose
  granting local authority to mandate building owner participation in local energy benchmarking and energy use disclosure
  programs.
  
• Encourage a more certain and predictable local land use process for renewable energy development.
  
• Oppose giving localities the authority to mandate solar canopies in surface parking areas due to their significantly higher cost
  over other forms of solar technology, site-planning constraints, conflicts with tree, landscape and historic requirements, as well
  as safety, and stormwater/structural concerns.
• Support the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) and oppose granting local government authority to matters governedby the USBC (e.g. building energy efficiency and EV charging station requirements).

8. Multifamily Housing Matters Principles:

•  Maintain reasonable landlord-tenant laws and eviction procedures that fairly balance the interests of property owners
  and landlords.
• The Virginia Housing Opportunity Tax Credit should be allowed for projects with 4% federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits [LIHTC].

9. Historic Rehabilitation and Community Revitalization Principles:

• Oppose any legislation or budget provisions that would reduce the historic rehabilitation tax credits (HRTC) available in VA.
  
• Support proposals to expand the use of the HRTC in Virginia.
  
• Support the creation of a Building Revitalization Grant Fund.
• Support reforms to Opportunity Zone legislation that produce new, more accurate maps focused on catalyzing investment in underserved communities.

10. Administrative Process Principles:

• Oppose legislation exempting new regulations from the standard administrative process act requirements.
• Support legislation, where appropriate, that narrows existing Administrative Process Act exemptions.
• Support licensure and certifications of professions essential to the continued vitality of the commercial real estate industry.

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