Housing shortage and affordability
House leaders named economic development and jobs as 2026 priorities and flagged an ongoing housing crisis with little affordable development and stagnant wages. Policy talk has focused on lowering costs for builders; separate funding restored a program to demolish abandoned buildings, while broader affordable-housing and transit measures saw little progress.
What approach should West Virginia take to its housing shortage and affordability problems?
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Sources
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw — https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/12/09/house-speaker-says-economy-jobs-will-be-top-priority-for-wv-house-republicans-in-2026-session
one of the most pressing issues will be confronting the state’s ongoing housing crisis, where there has been little development of affordable housing while, overall, wages have remained stagnant. Hanshaw said the focus will be on making the construction of housing more affordable for developers
Mountain State Spotlight — https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/03/15/2026-legislative-session-wrap-up
Lawmakers made no progress on other issues, such as affordable housing and public transportation... approved one housing-related investment: $10 million for the state’s only program that helps communities afford to tear down abandoned buildings
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- Large public investment in affordable housing, rent aid, and anti-displacement rules
- Subsidize affordable units and pair developer incentives with tenant protections
- Mix modest incentives for builders with targeted demolition of blighted properties
- Focus on deregulation and lower construction costs for developers without new mandates
- Leave housing supply to the market and avoid new state housing spending or rules