Virginia Housing Advisory Councils Multiply Impact

April 2, 2026

Virginia Housing recently hosted its first-ever Advisory Council Spring Forum on Wednesday, March 18 in Richmond. With over 120 partners in attendance, the forum was the first time that all six of Virginia Housing’s advisory councils – Homeownership, Minority Business, Northern Virginia, Rental Housing, Rural Housing and Supportive Housing Solutions – came together under one roof.

After a welcome from Virginia Housing CEO Tammy Neale, topics of discussion included updates on Virginia Housing, a recap of the recent Virginia General Assembly, notes from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and more. The energy was high as partners and stakeholders connected, exchanged ideas and sparked powerful conversations around the future of affordable housing.

The next forum is scheduled for August and Virginia Housing leadership is looking forward to the continued momentum as we work with partners to advance shared goals across the Commonwealth.

What Are Virginia Housing’s Advisory Councils?

Virginia Housing has six advisory councils that provide feedback and guidance on our programs and services. Each comprises a cross-section of government officials, business and nonprofit leaders, lenders, developers and other local partners. Their input is critical to ensuring that Virginia Housing is effective in the communities that it serves.

The six advisory councils are as follows:

• Homeownership focuses on Virginia Housing loan products and policies such as originations and servicing, business development and outreach and marketing campaigns.
• Minority Business focuses specifically on minority-owned businesses and underserved communities.
• Northern Virginia works to address the unique housing challenges in the state’s most populous region.
• Rental focuses on Virginia Housing rental products and policies such as loan production, asset management, construction and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs.
• Rural Housing works to address the unique housing challenges that rural communities face.
• Supportive Housing Solutions is focused on creating access to housing for vulnerable, extremely low-income and difficult-to-house populations.