On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, helped launch the latest congressional effort to create more affordable housing solutions in the commonwealth and across the country by introducing the Yes In God’s Backyard Act. The measure would allow faith-based organizations to develop housing on unused land they already own and help fund the effort. A 2020 legislative study found that nearly a third of Virginia households spend over 30% of their income on housing costs, and there’s a severe lack of affordable housing options statewide. Lawmakers at all levels of government continue exploring policy that might spur or speed up development, with Virginia housing experts and lawmakers weighing in. Greta Harris, CEO of Richmond-based Better Housing Coalition, told Congress last summer that housing pinches can also strain local economies.