Bill Commons

VA HB 278

Status unknown

Local anti-rent gouging authority; civil penalty.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 278 pass?

The current status of VA HB 278 is not known from the official record. Latest recorded action (2026-01-23): Continued to next session in Counties, Cities and Towns (Voice Vote)

What is VA HB 278 about?

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.

Who sponsors VA HB 278?

Nadarius E. Clark is the primary sponsor of VA HB 278, joined by 35 cosponsors.

Description

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.

Introduced
2026-01-09
Latest action
2026-01-23 — Continued to next session in Counties, Cities and Towns (Voice Vote)
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Nadarius E. Clarkprimary
  • Michael J. Jonescosponsor
  • Kathy K.L. Trancosponsor
  • Virgil Thorntoncosponsor
  • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.cosponsor
  • Holly M. Seiboldcosponsor
  • Charlie Schmidtcosponsor
  • Sam Rasoulcosponsor
  • Marcia S. "Cia" Pricecosponsor
  • Kimberly Pope Adamscosponsor
  • May Nivarcosponsor
  • Marty Martinezcosponsor
  • Michelle Lopes Maldonadocosponsor
  • Destiny LeVere Bollingcosponsor
  • Karen Keys-Gamarracosponsor
  • Patrick A. Hopecosponsor
  • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.cosponsor
  • Elizabeth R. Guzmancosponsor
  • Saddam Azlan Salimcosponsor
  • Margaret A. Franklincosponsor
  • Michael B. Fegganscosponsor
  • Mark C. Downeycosponsor
  • Rae Cousinscosponsor
  • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowlercosponsor
  • Nicole Colecosponsor
  • Joshua G. Colecosponsor
  • Laura Jane Cohencosponsor
  • Stacey Annie Carrollcosponsor
  • Katrina Callsencosponsor
  • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parkercosponsor
  • Alex Q. Askewcosponsor
  • Bonita G. Anthonycosponsor
  • Irene Shincosponsor
  • Adele Y. McClurecosponsor
  • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.cosponsor
  • Jackie H. Glasscosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-09

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105101D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-09

    Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-21

    Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #3

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-01-23

    Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)

  5. 2026-01-23

    Continued to next session in Counties, Cities and Towns (Voice Vote)

Versions

Documents

Votes

Not provided by source.

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB278

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changesStatus and relationship changes

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