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1997 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 554
Directing the Virginia Housing Study Commission, with representation from the Southeast Rural Communities Assistance Project, the Virginia Municipal League and the Virginia Association of Counties, and in conjunction with the Commonwealth's public and private water and water treatment providers, to study an indoor plumbing assistance program through voluntary invoice contributions to assist low-income households.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 20, 1997
Agreed to by the Senate, February 19, 1997

WHEREAS, during the past decade various public, private, and nonprofit organizations in the Commonwealth have sponsored a variety of programs designed to assist households living with inadequate residential water and wastewater facilities; and

WHEREAS, despite the success of these programs, thousands of lower income Virginians continue to live in housing lacking the most basic water and wastewater facilities; and

WHEREAS, it is reported that at least 53,000 housing units in Virginia are without any indoor plumbing facilities, and over 90,000 housing units in Virginia are utilizing sewage disposal means -- generally outdoor privies -- other than septic tank or public sewer systems; and

WHEREAS, as governmental sources of funding for housing improvement programs become more limited, there is an increased need to find alternative means of financing indoor plumbing efforts; and

WHEREAS, one option for encouraging voluntary private sector assistance is the establishment of a special fund to which Virginia residents could contribute through their water and sewer utility invoices -- a program similar to the one established by Virginia Power to provide assistance to low-income households for energy and heating costs; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Virginia Housing Study Commission, with representation from the Southeast Rural Communities Assistance Project, the Virginia Municipal League and the Virginia Association of Counties, and in conjunction with the Commonwealth's public and private water and water treatment providers, be directed to study an indoor plumbing assistance program through voluntary invoice contributions to assist low-income households.

The Virginia Housing Study Commission shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1998 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit copies of this resolution to the directors of the Southeast Rural Communities Assistance Project, the Virginia Municipal League and the Virginia Association of Counties to apprise them of the sense of the General Assembly in this matter.