summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Regular Session
Bill Summary
Local anti-rent gouging authority; civil penalty. Provides that any locality may by ordinance adopt anti-rent gouging provisions. The bill provides for notice and a public hearing prior to the adoption of such ordinance and specifies that all landlords who are under the ordinance may be required to give at least 90 days' written notice of a rent increase and cannot increase the rent by more than the locality's calculated allowance, not to exceed three percent, and states that such allowance is effective for a 12-month period beginning July 1 each year. The bill requires the locality to publish such allowance on its website by June 1 of each year. Certain facilities, as outlined in the bill, are exempt from such ordinance. The bill also requires a locality adopting an anti-rent gouging ordinance to establish an anti-rent gouging board to establish rules and procedures by which landlords may apply for and be granted exemptions from the rent increase limits set by the ordinance or delegate such duties and functions to an existing local board, department, or agency. The bill also requires the anti-rent gouging board to establish a fair return on investment rent increase exemption to the annual anti-rent gouging allowance where necessary to offset increased operating expenses. Finally, the bill provides that a locality shall establish a civil penalty for failure to comply with the requirements set out in its ordinance.
AI Summary
This bill allows any local government (locality) to create its own rules to prevent excessive rent increases, known as "rent gouging," by passing a local ordinance. Before enacting such an ordinance, the locality must hold a public hearing and provide notice. Under these ordinances, landlords would generally be required to give tenants at least 90 days' written notice before raising rent and could only increase it by a maximum of three percent annually, with this allowance set each year by the locality and published by June 1st. Certain types of housing, such as newly constructed units, facilities for medical treatment, religious buildings, and some temporary shelters, are exempt from these rent increase limits. Localities adopting these ordinances must also establish a board or delegate to an existing agency the responsibility of creating rules for landlords to apply for exemptions from rent increase limits, including a "fair return on investment" exemption to cover rising operating costs, and to handle appeals. Finally, the bill mandates that localities set a civil penalty, a monetary fine, for landlords who fail to comply with their rent gouging ordinance.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (4)
Last Action
Continued to next session in Local Government (11-Y 4-N) (on 02/02/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB355 |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB355/text/SB355 |
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