Senate adds Falls Church to Affordable Dwelling Unit program with unanimous vote

Senators voted unanimously on Thursday to include the City of Falls Church in Virginia’s Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) program.

Senate Bill 1011, sponsored on the floor by Senator Saleem, amends the state program to make the city eligible for ADU tools that neighboring Northern Virginia localities already use. "This bill is one step towards the little city addressing its large affordable housing crisis and providing it with the tools already available to Northern Virginia peers," the sponsor said on the Senate floor.

Senator Saleem said Falls Church covers just 2.2 square miles and has 198 affordable units for about 14,576 residents, framing the change as aligning Falls Church with nearby jurisdictions that participate in the ADU program. The Senate recorded the vote as Ayes 39, No 0; the clerk announced the bill passes.

No floor amendments altering the bill’s scope were recorded during the session. The measure moves forward following the Senate’s unanimous approval.