HB 2577 Virginia House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Uniform Statewide Building Code; unsafe structures.

Summary
Uniform Statewide Building Code; unsafe structures. Provides that for any structure deemed unsafe under the Uniform Statewide Building Code, and therefore eligible for demolition upon the unsafe notice process being completed, the owner or his agent may temporarily overcome the unsafe structure designation by vacating and securing the structure by board up of all access points. The bill further provides that after six months have elapsed from the time the board up was first learned of and internally recorded by the locality, if the structure would still otherwise be considered an unsafe structure, the locality may issue and send a written notice to the owner that if the other conditions specified in the notice are not adequately improved, or an appeal not received, within two months, the unsafe designation will once again come into effect.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2025 Last action Feb 5, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced General Laws Subcommittee Substitute · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended from its original introduction to a General Laws Subcommittee Substitute version. The original bill focused on amending § 36-99 of the Code of Virginia regarding unsafe structures, while the substitute version shifts focus to requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to convene a stakeholder advisory group to evaluate unsafe structure provisions during the 2024 code development cycle. The substantive policy content regarding unsafe structures appears to have been removed from the substitute version.
Scope change
The bill's scope changed from directly amending building code provisions related to unsafe structures to requiring a study and evaluation of those provisions through a stakeholder advisory group.
REQUIREMENT

Removed the amendment to § 36-99 of the Code of Virginia that would have prescribed regulations for unsafe structures, including provisions for temporary securing of structures and demolition procedures.

Added requirement for the Department of Housing and Community Development to convene a stakeholder advisory group to evaluate unsafe structure provisions of the Uniform Statewide Building Code and Virginia Property Maintenance Code.

TIMELINE

Changed the timeline from immediate code amendments to evaluation during the 2024 code development cycle.

SCOPE

Changed from direct legislative action on building code provisions to administrative study and evaluation process.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
1
Committee
3
Jan 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 2-N)
lower
Jan 20, 2025
Committee
Assigned GL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection
lower
Jan 12, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jay Leftwich
Jay Leftwich
RRepublican
VA
90