A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-984.1, relating to localities; Home Flood Protection Assistance Program.
HB214 would authorize Virginia localities, by ordinance, to create a Home Flood Protection Assistance Program. The program would provide financial assistance of up to $3,000 per household to help residents install temporary flood-exclusion tools at vulnerable entry points on private property. To qualify, a household would first need to complete a stormwater extension program or local floodplain review, undergo an on-site assessment, and complete all recommended passive or structural flood mitigation measures before receiving assistance.
The bill also directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation to establish uniform product-performance verification standards for eligible flood protection tools. Covered items would include temporary barriers, flood dams, garage-entry shields, and similar nonpermanent devices, but not permanent floodproofing measures that would trigger FEMA certification requirements. Localities could use funds from the Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund to administer the program and could partner with nonprofit resilience organizations to identify eligible households, install tools, train residents, and track effectiveness.
HB214 would add a new section to the Code of Virginia, § 15.2-984.1, giving local governments express authority to create and fund a home flood protection assistance program. It would affect localities, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and households in flood-prone areas by establishing eligibility rules, a funding cap, and state-level product verification standards for temporary flood mitigation devices. The bill would also create a potential use for the Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund in supporting local administration of these programs.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded vote, and the bill was left in the House Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns. Based on the text, the measure appears to be framed as a resilience and flood-prevention initiative aimed at helping homeowners reduce property damage from flooding. Because there is no recorded debate, the overall sentiment can only be characterized as procedurally unresolved rather than clearly supportive or opposed.
The main policy questions raised by the bill are likely to involve the scope of local authority, the use of public funds for private-property improvements, and the requirement that households exhaust other mitigation measures before receiving aid. Another possible point of contention is the Department’s role in setting product-performance standards and limiting assistance to temporary tools rather than permanent floodproofing. The bill’s reliance on local ordinances and nonprofit partners may also raise concerns about administrative burden, program consistency, and equitable access across localities.