State · LIHTC 2026
LIHTC in Virginia: 2026 allocations, QAP and data
Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority) allocates Virginia's housing tax credits. The population-based part of Virginia's 2026 9% credit ceiling, before carryforwards and returned credits, is $30,334,446. That is $3.416 times 8,880,107 residents. Its 2026 private activity bond cap, which 4% deals compete for, is $1,198,814,445 ($135 per person).
Agency and qualified allocation plan
| Allocating agency | Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority) |
|---|---|
| Tax credit program page | Virginia Housing Development Authority LIHTC page |
| Current QAP | Plan of the Virginia Housing Development Authority for the Allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (2026 QAP) (2026) |
| QAP status | 2026 QAP PDF: mc-7eaf08cc-3802-4bab-9abf-a732-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net link . Draft 2027 QAP (to be published within new rule 13VAC10-181): mc-7eaf08cc-3802-4bab-9abf-a732-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net link |
Agency and QAP links checked 2026-10-30.
2026 credit ceiling and bond cap
| Item | 2026 | Per resident |
|---|---|---|
| Population (IRS Notice 2026-22) | 8,880,107 | 12th of 52 |
| 9% ceiling, population amount | $30,334,446 | $3.42 |
| Formula | greater of $3.416 × pop or $3,953,600 | per-capita applies |
| Private activity bond cap | $1,198,814,445 | $135.00 |
| Formula | greater of $135 × pop or $397,625,000 | per-capita applies |
Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 secs. 4.08 and 4.19 (the 9% amounts already include the 12% increase from Pub. L. 119-21 sec. 70422); IRS Notice 2026-22 (2026-15 I.R.B.). Computed by us and rounded to the dollar; agencies may round differently.
Only the population amount is shown. The full 2026 ceiling adds credits unused from 2025, credits returned by projects and any share of the national pool, which the agency reports in its allocation materials. See every state side by side on the 2026 ceilings and bond caps table.
Basis boost areas: 2027 QCTs and DDAs
HUD's 2027 lists, which apply from January 1, 2027, put 243 Virginia census tracts in qualified census tracts, spread across 61 counties. 5 nonmetropolitan counties are difficult development areas. In metro areas, 57 ZIP code areas (ZCTAs) are Small Area DDAs. A building in either can take 130% of eligible basis. Check an address with the QCT and DDA lookup.
| County | 2027 QCT tracts |
|---|---|
| Richmond city | 25 |
| Norfolk city | 19 |
| Newport News city | 15 |
| Prince William County | 12 |
| Fairfax County | 11 |
Nonmetro DDA counties: Accomack County, Essex County, Northumberland County, Prince Edward County, Westmoreland County.
Metro areas with Small Area DDAs: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA; Harrisonburg, VA MSA; Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area; Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area; Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA MSA; Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area; Winchester, VA-WV MSA.
Every Virginia qualified census tract, with its population, poverty rate and median income, is on the Virginia QCT list by county.
Source: HUD 2027 QCT and DDA designations, FR Doc. 2026-20390 (91 FR 63573, Oct. 6, 2026).
Tax credit properties in Virginia
HUD's database lists 1,176 Virginia properties financed with housing tax credits that the allocating agency still monitors, with 104,029 income-restricted units. The largest city totals are below; see all cities on the Virginia apartments page.
| City | Properties | Restricted units |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 135 | 14,481 |
| Arlington | 60 | 6,486 |
| Newport News | 54 | 6,220 |
| Norfolk | 47 | 4,843 |
| Alexandria | 45 | 4,132 |
| Fredericksburg | 31 | 4,066 |
| Chesapeake | 35 | 4,003 |
| Virginia Beach | 38 | 3,968 |
| Portsmouth | 31 | 3,480 |
| Woodbridge | 19 | 2,650 |
| County | Properties | Restricted units |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond city | 99 | 9,651 |
| Fairfax County | 66 | 7,899 |
| Arlington County | 61 | 6,566 |
| Newport News city | 53 | 6,170 |
| Henrico County | 45 | 5,758 |
| Prince William County | 36 | 5,245 |
| Norfolk city | 46 | 4,809 |
| Chesapeake city | 37 | 4,144 |
| Virginia Beach city | 39 | 4,074 |
| Loudoun County | 33 | 3,521 |
For buyers and lenders: the Virginia Year 15 and Year 30 list shows which of these properties reach the end of the compliance period or the 30-year extended use minimum from 2022 to 2034, by county.
Source: HUD's national LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026; projects placed in service through 2024). City pages cover cities with at least five properties; county links go to that county's 2026 income and rent limits.
Financing a LIHTC deal in Virginia
A 9% deal in Virginia competes for Virginia Housing Development Authority's 2026 ceiling of $30,334,446 (population amount) under the Plan of the Virginia Housing Development Authority for the Allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (2026 QAP). A 4% deal needs an award from the state's $1,198,814,445 private activity bond cap: tax-exempt bonds must finance 50% of the aggregate basis of the building and land, or at least 25% if one or more of those bonds, from an issue dated after December 31, 2025, together finance at least 5% of that basis (the 25% bond test, for buildings placed in service in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025). Sites in Virginia's 243 qualified census tracts for 2027 can take the 130% basis boost.
On HUD's records for the 912 Virginia properties on this site's city pages, 31% of those reporting the field were financed with tax-exempt bonds and 65% took 9% (70% present value) credits; 212 received allocations in 2015 or later.
Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32; HUD 2027 QCT list; HUD's national LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026; projects placed in service through 2024), bond and credit-type fields. What to read in a QAP: state LIHTC programs. Sizing a Virginia deal: get a financing quote.
State housing tax credit
Yes. Virginia Housing Opportunity Tax Credit, Va. Code 58.1-439.30. Up to $64M per year for 2026-2030, $575M total; allowed over 10 years; allocated by Virginia Housing. (primary source)
More Virginia data
- Virginia 2026 income and rent limitsby county
- Virginia tax credit apartmentsby city
- Virginia QCTs and DDAs2027 lists by county
- Year 15 and Year 30 propertiesby county
- QCT and DDA lookupby address
- Monthly credit ratesIRS
- LIHTC in Vermontprevious
- LIHTC in Washingtonnext
- All statescompare
Questions people ask
How much 9% LIHTC does Virginia get in 2026?
The population part of Virginia's 2026 housing credit ceiling is $30,334,446: the greater of $3.416 per resident or $3,953,600, applied to the 8,880,107 population in IRS Notice 2026-22. The agency's actual 2026 authority also adds unused and returned credits and any national pool share, so its own published figure can be higher.
Who allocates housing tax credits in Virginia?
Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority). It awards 9% credits under its qualified allocation plan (Plan of the Virginia Housing Development Authority for the Allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (2026 QAP), 2026) and sets the rules 4% bond deals must meet to receive credits.
Does Virginia have a state low-income housing tax credit?
Yes. Virginia Housing Opportunity Tax Credit, Va. Code 58.1-439.30. Up to $64M per year for 2026-2030, $575M total; allowed over 10 years; allocated by Virginia Housing.
Financing a Virginia tax credit deal?
Construction, bond, bridge-to-equity and permanent debt for Virginia 4% and 9% deals.