Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines. In this Issue: In this Issue: 1. Spanberger announces plan to reduce housing costs in Va. 2. House Subcommittee Leaders Meet With NAR on HOME Program Modernization Proposals 3. Citing trade wars, the World Bank sharply downgrades global economic growth forecast to 2.3% 4. Parties set to pick candidates for Connolly seat on June 28 5. N. Va. leaders: More funding is not guaranteed for proposed Metro improvement plan. 

Spanberger announces plan to reduce housing costs in Va.  

By ANNA BRYSON, Richmond Times-Dispatch   

Democratic nominee for governor Abigail Spanberger announced a plan on Friday to lower housing costs in Virginia by eliminating arduous regulatory requirements that drive up production costs and incentivizing new housing construction for first-time homeowners and middle-class families. Spanberger announced her plan at Parkside Townes, a housing development under construction in eastern Henrico County that uses a land trust model to lower costs by separating ownership of the home from the land beneath it. 

House Subcommittee Leaders Meet With NAR on HOME Program Modernization Proposals 

By ELAYNE WEISS, Washington Report 

NAR presented its HOME Investment Partnerships Program modernization recommendations to House Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman Mike Flood (R-NE) and Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO). Following NAR's written response to the subcommittee's Request for Information on HOME program improvements, the lawmakers invited NAR to present its recommendations in person. 

Citing trade wars, the World Bank sharply downgrades global economic growth forecast to 2.3% 

By PAUL WISEMAN, Associated Press 

President Donald Trump’s trade wars are expected to slash economic growth this year in the United States and around the world, the World Bank forecast Tuesday. Citing “a substantial rise in trade barriers’’ but without mentioning Trump by name, the 189-country lender predicted that the U.S. economy – the world’s largest – would grow half as fast (1.4%) this year as it did in 2024 (2.8%). That marked a downgrade from the 2.3% U.S. growth it had forecast back for 2025 back in January. 

Parties set to pick candidates for Connolly seat on June 28  

By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch   

Democrats and Republicans will choose their candidates for a vacant Northern Virginia seat in Congress by party-run processes on June 28 for a special election in the 11th Congressional District on Sept. 9. Democrats will choose from a growing field that now includes nine candidates in a firehouse primary at multiple locations. Republicans plan a daylong canvass at a single site to pick from four announced candidates. A 14th candidate for the seat — opened by the death of Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-11th, on May 21 — has announced his candidacy as an independent. 

N. Va. leaders: More funding is not guaranteed for proposed Metro improvement plan  

By SCOTT MCCAFFREY, FFXnow  

Northern Virginia political leaders at the local and state levels seem to have a firm dollar figure associated with the proposal to improve Metro service across the region. There remains a question, however, regarding whether they’ll be able to come up with the funding. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) is preparing to adopt a resolution on July 17 acknowledging that Virginia will need to commit an additional $153 million in fiscal year 2027 to implement operational upgrades and keep the transit system on track.