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In this episode, YIMBY Action Executive Director Laura Foote sits down with Will Wilson, volunteer leader of our RVA YIMBY chapter, and Brian Goggin, an affordable housing developer, urbanist, and Policy and Project Manager with True Ground Housing Partners. Together, they discuss how the Commonwealth Housing Coalition helped make Virginia's 2026 legislative session one of the state's most successful for pro-housing reform to date.
The conversation explores how a growing coalition of advocates helped pass landmark legislation legalizing more accessory dwelling units (ADUs), expanding opportunities for faith-based housing, reforming parking requirements near transit, and allowing manufactured housing in more communities. They also discuss the political strategy behind building bipartisan support, overcoming local opposition, and why coalition-building has become one of the YIMBY movement's most effective tools.
Laura, Will, and Brian also look ahead to what's next for Virginia, including implementation challenges, future zoning reforms, permitting improvements, and how grassroots organizing continues to shape housing policy across the state. Whether you're interested in housing advocacy, land-use reform, or the politics of building more homes, this episode offers an inside look into how meaningful policy change happens.
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Learn more about the Commonwealth Housing Coalition: https://www.commonwealthhousingcoalition.org/
Learn more about our RVA YIMBY chapter: https://rvayimby.org/
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