Email Your Legislators to support affordable housing
What You Can Do Now: Email Your Legislators
As we build momentum for the 2026 Virginia Legislative session, lawmakers are deciding on their priorities, and need to hear from you today! Use this short message (or customize it) and send it to your state senator and delegate. Not sure who they are? Look them up here. If you BCC hello@yimbysofnova.org, we can approve you as Volunteer member with YIMBY Action.
Sample Message:
Subject: Urgent: We Need Statewide Housing Solutions
Dear [Senator/Delegate Last Name],
I’m writing as a constituent who loves my community but struggles to afford to live here. I am deeply concerned about the worsening housing shortage in our communities and the need for bold, statewide action.
Across Virginia, we’re seeing the costs of inaction: teachers in Fairfax can’t afford to live near their schools (WTOP article); court decisions in Arlington, Charlottesville, and Alexandria are stalling locally approved reforms; and faith communities ready to build affordable housing are stuck navigating costly, years-long rezoning processes just to serve their neighbors.
This patchwork approach isn’t working. If we keep relying on local fixes alone, we will never meet the scale of Virginia’s housing crisis. We need statewide standards that allow for more homes people can actually afford—especially near jobs, schools, and transit.
I urge you to support statewide zoning reform in 2026, including legislation like Yes in God’s Backyard, which would give faith communities and nonprofits a fair shot at building affordable housing on their land. These are commonsense reforms that respond to urgent needs and reflect the values of service, community, and fairness.
As Senator Brian Schatz recently said in a powerful floor speech on the national housing crisis (watch here), we need lawmakers to lead—not just admire the problem. I hope you’ll join us in making 2026 the year Virginia chooses solutions over stalemate.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City or County]