Norfolk Seeks Power to Penalize Negligent Landlords

City Council unanimously approved a legislative agenda asking the Virginia General Assembly for expanded tools to enforce housing code compliance.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Apartments

Norfolk Seeks Power to Penalize Negligent Landlords

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Should cities be given more power to penalize negligent landlords who let rentals deteriorate?

Norfolk City Council unanimously approved its legislative agenda on October 27, seeking state authority to establish escalating civil penalties for property owners who fail to comply with city code. The agenda also asks lawmakers to direct the Virginia Port Authority to study noise from 24-hour port operations.

Why it matters

Preliminary city analysis found more than half of unaddressed chronic code violations involve owners with three or more similar violations in the past two years. Because 75% of Norfolk's affordable housing is naturally occurring and unsubsidized, the city says preserving it from disrepair is a priority amid a shortage of rental units for lower-income households.

The city's preliminary analysis found more than 50% of unaddressed chronic code violations involve repeat-violation owners, and 75% of Norfolk's affordable housing is unsubsidized. A 2024 study put the rental gap for households earning under $35,000 at about 6,700 units, a figure a 2026 report pegs at 12,000.

The players

Norfolk City Council

The elected legislative body of Norfolk, Virginia, which adopted the agenda and directs the city's policy priorities.

Virginia General Assembly

The state legislature of Virginia, which would have to grant Norfolk the penalty authority and funding the city is requesting.

Virginia Port Authority

The state agency overseeing Virginia's ports, which the city asks to study noise from 24-hour operations at Norfolk International Terminals.

The details

The agenda asks for state authority to set escalating civil penalties and other compliance mechanisms for noncompliant owners. It also seeks a streamlined process for obtaining fee simple interest and easements in state-owned bottomlands, which the city says would save money in the Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, and $20 million in state funding for emergency dune protection in Ocean View.

October 13: Norfolk Housing Director Pennington discussed penalty tools at a City Council meeting.
October 27: Council unanimously approved the legislative agenda.
2024: A housing study identified a gap of roughly 6,700 rental units for households earning under $35,000 a year.
2026: A report placed that gap at 12,000 units.

Housing Landscape

Norfolk's request depends on Virginia lawmakers expanding municipal enforcement tools, a question that sits within the state's long-standing division of authority between cities and the General Assembly. The city's push to preserve naturally occurring affordable units reflects a shortage that has widened between the 2024 study and the 2026 report.

Renters in Norfolk's older apartment stock could see stronger enforcement of code violations if the General Assembly approves the penalty authority. Residents near Norfolk International Terminals may eventually benefit from a port noise study if lawmakers direct the Virginia Port Authority to conduct it.

The takeaway

Norfolk's request shows that enforcing housing codes against repeat violators is one lever for protecting affordable rentals, though the state must act before any new penalties take effect. Renters facing code problems can track how the city's legislative requests move through the General Assembly.