Democrats in Virginia are hoping the Harris-Walz policy proposals on housing will be a benefit in the election this year.
If elected to the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris says she wants to offer $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. That's something that could have a huge impact at the local level, says Alexandria City Councilman John Chapman.
"How do you make sure that the supply coming in is not just affordable but attainable to the folks that are in your community? And, I think having down payment assistance is huge because there are very few people walking around with tens of thousands of dollars if they want to get a house that works for their family," says Chapman.
Harris is also talking about taking on corporate landlords by restricting rent increases to five percent for landlords with more than 50 units, as well as tax incentives for the construction of new homes. Delegate Charniele Herring says the Harris-Walz housing proposals could be a game changer for people across Virginia.
"I was homeless as a teenager," Herring says. "I know what it means not to have shelter over your head and certainly getting rental housing is great. But what's happening is that when we talk about generational wealth, families are not able to have that American dream."
While Democrats are talking about increasing the supply of housing, Donald Trump and the Republicans are talking about decreasing demand by deporting undocumented immigrants, as well as allowing some housing development on federal lands and reducing mortgage rates.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
