Churches, synagogues and nonprofit organizations in Reston that own land will be able to build affordable housing on their properties without going through the county's rezoning process starting next year.

Virginia's "Faith in Housing" legislation, signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger earlier this year, requires Fairfax County to create a streamlined, by-right approval path for such projects. County zoning staff briefed the Board of Supervisors' Land Use Policy Committee on Tuesday, outlining how the county plans to comply.

"Interpretation is going to be key," Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said at the meeting.

What the law requires

The legislation, carried by state Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29) and Del. Joshua Cole (D-65), eliminates the rezoning step for religious organizations and tax-exempt nonprofits that have owned their property for at least five years. At least 60% of units built under the law must be affordable to households earning no more than 80% of area median income, and that affordability requirement lasts 30 years. Projects must sit within 500 feet of existing water and sewer lines and comply with local environmental and historic preservation standards.

The law includes a sunset clause: its provisions expire at the start of 2031 unless the General Assembly readopts them. A governor's amendment exempts buildings granted additional height above what is permitted by right from a 45-foot minimum height requirement, a provision that has generated questions among local officials.

The legislation passed largely along party-line votes in the General Assembly, with a few Republicans joining the majority Democrats.

County's compliance timeline

Assistant Zoning Administrator William Mayland told supervisors the extra time before the Jan. 1, 2027, effective date will be used to "understand the complexities of the bill." He and Zoning Administrator Leslie B. Johnson presented the county's FY 2027/2028 Zoning Ordinance Work Program at the same Tuesday meeting.

In that work program, "Religious Assembly – Secondary Uses" was elevated from Priority 2 to Priority 1, with background research and outreach scheduled for the first quarter of fiscal year 2028 and public hearings in the second quarter.

Why it matters in Reston

The county board has stated that affordable housing must be distributed across all supervisor districts, not concentrated in cheaper or easier-to-develop areas. That principle makes Reston's Hunter Mill District a relevant target for projects under the new law.

Only 13% of homes built in Fairfax County between 2022 and 2026 are affordable to households earning the county's median income of $164,000 for a family of four, according to county staff. The county has set a goal of 10,000 new affordable units by 2034 and needs as many as 95,000 total new housing units by 2035 to keep pace with regional growth, per a housing needs assessment presented to the board in February.