State Del. Joshua E. Thomas has introduced legislation that would give localities permission to issue homeownership and housing assistance grants to qualifying employees using nonstate resources, as referenced by the Virginia State House.
The measure, filed as HB164 on Jan. 14, 2026, in the 2026 regular session, carries the official title: “Housing for local employees; grants for homeownership.”
Below is a summary and interpretation of the main components of the bill, based on the bill text.
Essentially, this bill enables Virginia localities, through ordinance and exclusively with nonstate funding, to provide homeownership grants up to $25,000 per employee—with a $25,000 lifetime maximum—to locality employees, local school board staff, and constitutional officers for purchasing a primary residence in the area. These grants must meet Virginia Housing and Development Authority standards for regional sale prices and household income, and local governments may establish further conditions for transparency and safeguards. The bill further allows localities, in collaboration with school divisions, to grant similar housing assistance and to form public-private partnerships focused on affordable workforce housing for school staff.
Alongside Rep. Joshua E. Thomas (Democrat-21st District), the bill was also sponsored by Rep. Dan I. Helmer (Democrat-10th District), Rep. Marty Martinez (Democrat-29th District), and six additional sponsors.
Thomas has introduced 12 other bills since the current session started.
He received a BA from Vanderbilt University in 2010 and earned a JD from The College of William and Mary in 2018.
Thomas, a Democrat, won his seat in the Virginia State House in 2024 as the representative for the 21st House district, succeeding Kelly Convirs-Fowler.
In Virginia, the bill process opens with introduction in either the House of Delegates or the Senate and assignment to committees for review and amendment. If committees approve, the bill moves to the floor for debate and voting by both chambers. Passage sends the bill to the governor, who may sign, veto, or allow it to become law without a signature. The Virginia General Assembly meets every year in regular session beginning the second Monday in January. Lawmakers introduce hundreds of bills each session, but only a fraction are enacted.
| Legislative Session | Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas, Dan I. Helmer, Marty Martinez, Atoosa R. Reaser, Elizabeth R. Guzman, Karen Keys-Gamarra, Katrina Callsen, Laura Jane Cohen, and Michael B. Feggans | HB164 | 01/14/2026 | Housing for local employees; grants for homeownership. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas, Dan I. Helmer, David A. Reid, Elizabeth R. Guzman, John Chilton McAuliff, Atoosa R. Reaser, Betsy B. Carr, JJ Singh, Karen Keys-Gamarra, and Sam Rasoul | HB153 | 01/14/2026 | Data centers; site assessment, sound profile of the high energy use facility. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas, Adele Y. McClure, Atoosa R. Reaser, Dan I. Helmer, Irene Shin, JJ Singh, Kathy K.L. Tran, Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler, Laura Jane Cohen, Marty Martinez, May Nivar, Michael B. Feggans, and Shelly A. Simonds | HB165 | 01/14/2026 | Contractors, Board for; examinations available in alternative languages. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB166 | 01/14/2026 | Noise ordinances; removes exemption for industrial property, civil penalties. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB196 | 01/14/2026 | Mixed-income housing; creating a two-year pilot program that provides loan origination, etc. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB197 | 01/14/2026 | Zoning appeals, board of; appellate jurisdiction upon appeal from the circuit court. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB198 | 01/14/2026 | Local government; review of decision by board of zoning appeals, procedures for filing petition. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas, Jeremy S. McPike, Destiny LeVere Bolling, Karen Keys-Gamarra, and Sam Rasoul | HB352 | 01/14/2026 | Local authority; authorized by ordinance to establish affordable housing performance grant programs. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB354 | 01/14/2026 | Online portal; Commissioner of Department of Veterans Services to develop and maintain. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB356 | 01/14/2026 | Local housing policy; expands the range of changes that are required. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas, Elizabeth R. Guzman, Margaret A. Franklin, Adele Y. McClure, Alex Q. Askew, Alfonso H. Lopez, Amy J. Laufer, Atoosa R. Reaser, Betsy B. Carr, Bonita G. Anthony, Briana D. Sewell, C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr., Charlie Schmidt, Charniele L. Herring, Dan I. Helmer, Debra D. Gardner, Delores L. McQuinn, Destiny LeVere Bolling, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker, Garrett McGuire, Gretchen M Bulova, Holly M. Seibold, Jackie H. Glass, Jeion A. Ward, Jessica L. Anderson, Joshua G. Cole, Karen Keys-Gamarra, Karen R. “Kacey” Carnegie, Karrie K. Delaney, Kathy K.L. Tran, Katrina Callsen, Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler, Kimberly Pope Adams, Laura Jane Cohen, Leslie Chambers Mehta, Lily V. Franklin, Lindsey Dougherty, Marcia S. “Cia” Price, Marcus B. Simon, Mark C. Downey, Michael B. Feggans, Michelle Lopes Maldonado, Nicole Cole, Paul E. Krizek, Phil M. Hernandez, Rae Cousins, Richard C. “Rip” Sullivan, Jr., Rodney T. Willett, Rozia A. Henson, Jr., Sam Rasoul, Shelly A. Simonds, Stacey Annie Carroll, Virgil Thornton, and Vivian E. Watts | HB1182 | 01/14/2026 | Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs & devices, including over-the-counter. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas, Jason S. Ballard, Michael B. Feggans, Michael J. Webert, Nicole Cole, and Jackie H. Glass | HB1188 | 01/14/2026 | Virginia Boys and Men Advisory Commission; established, report, sunset provision. |
| 2026 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB1227 | 01/14/2026 | Private activity bonds; allocation of state ceiling. |
| 2025 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB2657 | 01/15/2025 | Involuntary manslaughter; certain drug offenses. |
| 2025 | Joshua E. Thomas and Atoosa R. Reaser | HB2065 | 01/13/2025 | Fire Programs Fund; aid to localities, requirement for emergency incidents reporting. |
| 2025 | Joshua E. Thomas, Hyland F. “Buddy” Fowler, Jr., and David A. Reid | HB2071 | 01/13/2025 | DVS; powers and duties of Commissioner, identification of incarcerated veterans. |
| 2025 | Joshua E. Thomas, Shelly A. Simonds, Betsy B. Carr, Joshua G. Cole, and Vivian E. Watts | HB1601 | 01/08/2025 | Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. |
| 2025 | Joshua E. Thomas and Mike A. Cherry | HB1626 | 01/08/2025 | Public elementary & secondary school teachers; certain training activities, requirements, etc. |
| 2025 | Joshua E. Thomas and Will Davis | HB1627 | 01/08/2025 | Criminal history record information; dissemination of record information. |
| 2025 | Joshua E. Thomas and Jackie H. Glass | HB1629 | 01/08/2025 | Health care records; providers shall provide one free copy of records stored in EHR upon request. |
| 2025 | Joshua E. Thomas | HB1653 | 01/08/2025 | Real Estate Board; regulations related to fees charged to a licensee. |
Information in this article was sourced from the Virginia State House. Access the official records here.
