Affordable Housing

The Fight to Defend Our Homes

Out-of-state speculation, sky-high rents, and sudden property tax spikes are pricing out the very people who make our community run, from teachers and county workers to long-time seniors and young adults. Because Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, Arlington cannot enact stronger local housing protections without explicit authority from Richmond. Breanna plans to pass state-enabling legislation so Arlington has the tools to hold luxury developers accountable, protect our tree canopy, and build housing families can actually afford.

Key Legislative Priorities

Breanna will champion crucial legislation designed to hold speculative developers accountable, protect the local environment and tree canopy, and keep our housing market accessible for every generation:

1. The Neighborhood Anti-Displacement & Transparency Act

Breanna Fights For, "No displacement without a plan: Holding developers accountable to community stability."

When speculative developers tear down modest homes to build luxury multi-million-dollar structures or rapidly redevelop multi-family buildings, property values and taxes spike across the entire neighborhood. Current Virginia law allows developers to build and raise prices without considering how it prices out long-time residents, seniors on fixed incomes, and working families.

• What it does: Grants Arlington the state authority to require developers seeking major rezonings or large-scale buildouts to submit an Anti-Displacement Plan before approval. It establishes a standard notice system for standard rent adjustments (inflation + 3%), requiring landlords filing higher increases to submit a Legal & Cost Justification proving actual capital improvements. It also gives local jurisdictions power to cap how quickly property taxes can rise for long-term homeowners following waves of luxury development.

• Why it matters: It protects existing neighbors without stopping new housing creation, forcing speculative developers to account for community impact while keeping rent hikes grounded in real property improvements.

2. The Neighborhood Stability & Canopy Equity Act

Breanna Fights For, "Taxing speculation to subsidize stability and protect our environment."

Out-of-state investors routinely clear-cut mature trees in working-class neighborhoods to build mega-mansions, driving up land costs and creating urban heat islands. At the same time, rigid environmental rules burden non-profit affordable housing developers with the exact same costs as luxury builders.

• What it does: Imposes a 40% Tree Canopy Mandate on single-family home builds exceeding 3,500 sq. ft., triggering a Canopy Disruption Fee into the local Affordable Housing Trust Fund if lot clear-cutting occurs. It introduces an out-of-state speculator surcharge on non-resident buyers driving up prices, cuts tree replacement burdens by 50% for Missing Middle and affordable housing near transit, and gives non-profits a 60-month window to purchase tax-delinquent properties for affordable housing conversions before private developers can bid.

• Why it matters: It uses environmental policy to curb land speculation, preserve our urban tree canopy, and lower construction costs for affordable builders near transit hubs.

3. The Generational Anchors & Public Land Housing Act

Breanna Fights For, "Keeping our kids in the communities where they grew up."

High housing costs force young adults to leave the hometowns where they grew up, while high childcare expenses make starting a family nearly impossible in high-cost counties like Arlington. Meanwhile, the high price of land makes traditional affordable housing development expensive and slow.

• What it does: Co-locates affordable housing units on underutilized public properties, such as library sites, parking lots, and surplus municipal land, removing land costs from the development equation. It grants square-footage bonuses to residential developers who include ground-floor childcare centers with capped-cost slots for local families, and simplifies local zoning for multi-generational homes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

• Why it matters: It shifts housing policy toward human outcomes: lowering childcare costs, cutting affordable housing construction expenses, and ensuring young adults aren't priced out of Arlington.

Supporting Public Servants and Local Workforce Renewal

Beyond housing creation and developer accountability, Breanna's comprehensive approach to community stability includes:

• The Public Sector Phased Retirement Program: Allowing public sector employees (teachers, county planners, municipal staff) within 10 years of retirement age to voluntarily step down into part-time, remote, or advisory roles while keeping pension accruals active.

• Workforce Mobility Pipelines: Unlocking salary capacity as senior staff shift into part-time work, freeing up dedicated state funding to hire local young workers into full-time government roles with modern, flexible hybrid schedules.

Stand With Us

Virginia's Dillon Rule means Arlington cannot solve our housing and community challenges without bold leadership in Richmond. Breanna is ready to lead the charge in Richmond to make sure Virginia grants local communities the tools, tax fairness, and flexibility required to keep Arlington affordable, green, and vibrant for generations to come.