Thread by @IbraheemSamirah

✅ Passed my last bill to tackle the massive problem of the lack of housing affordability and associated equity, environmental justice, health, and economic fairness issues facing Virginians in this 2021 not-so-regular session into the Virginia budget. 1/

⚖️ HB2053 convenes a work group, with every pertinent entity one can think of, for the purpose of removing barriers to legalizing Accessory Dwelling Units in localities, statewide, unleashing a very efficient tool to create Missing Middle housing for the overly-stressed. 2/

👵🏽More popularly known in VA as "Granny Flats," ADUs are secondary residences built within the limits of existing property and are a common-sense solution that allows owners more freedom concerning their property and can diversify neighborhoods in housing stock & households. 3/

🏘️By legalizing ADUs, landowners enjoy an extra source of income while creating much needed quality, affordable housing that disproportionately cost-burdened laborers, BIPOC, the young, old, and LGBTQ 🌈 can afford to live in, subduing some of the harms of exclusionary zoning. 4/

🏠Single-Family-ONLY zoning has served as a barrier to historically burdened groups accessing good schools, good jobs and good environments, and the barrier has only been exasperated by the multiple housing crises of the past leading into our current ones, today. 5/

🛌🏽 For some context, the average 1BR in the district I represent goes for >$1500/month. ADUs on average go for <$1000/month.

But what's most exciting is that with the potential for legalizing ADUs statewide, smarter 🧠 growth is more standard in future comprehensive planning. 6/

This means everything mentioned atop with the added benefit of less time driving 🚙, air pollutants 🏭 released, & fossil fuel ⛽burnt from not just less vehicle usage but also better energy conservation 🏡 at home for more people.

I look forward to legalizing ADUs next year. 7/