Roanoke to host Faith in Housing listening sessions Aug. 17

Roanoke will host two listening sessions on Monday, Aug. 17, for organizations and community partners seeking to understand Virginia's new Faith in Housing legislation and its potential connection to affordable-housing development.

The sessions will focus on Senate Bill 388 and House Bill 1279, which the City of Roanoke says give qualifying faith-based organizations greater flexibility to develop affordable housing on property they already own. The official registration page says the Faith in Housing Act is scheduled to take effect in January 2027 and that Virginia Housing is using the sessions to explain available resources, answer questions and gather feedback from partners.

Faith-based organizations, nonprofits and community agencies are scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon. A second session for government officials and developers is set for 1 to 3 p.m. Both sessions will be held in Room 310 North of the HR Learning Center at the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building, 215 Church Ave. SW, in Roanoke.

Space is limited, and organizers require participants to register in advance. The City says attendees are responsible for parking; free two-hour street parking is available on Church Avenue, Campbell Avenue and Third Street on a first-come, first-served basis, with paid parking available in the Church Avenue and Campbell Avenue garages.

Source: Reporting is based on the City of Roanoke's Aug. 6, 2026 notice, city details for the listening sessions, and the official Virginia Housing registration page. The registration page states that the Faith in Housing Act is scheduled to take effect in January 2027.

Art note: Original AI-generated editorial illustration commissioned for GetStarNews; it is illustrative and not a documentary photograph of the event.