Why I'm Running for Virginia's District 7

By Joseph Schiarizzi

When I stood on top of Katahdin in Maine, finishing my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, I didn't feel the triumph I expected. I felt urgency. Over 2,190 miles, I'd walked through dozens of Virginia communities — small towns and growing suburbs, thriving neighborhoods and forgotten ones. I saw boarded-up storefronts next to new luxury developments. I met families who'd lived in the same hollow for generations and young people who couldn't afford to stay. I saw the beauty of Virginia's mountains and rivers, and I saw the pollution threatening them.

That hike changed my life. It showed me that Virginia's challenges aren't abstract policy debates — they're real, and they're personal. And it convinced me that we need leaders who've actually seen these communities up close, who understand that a housing crisis in Northern Virginia and a broadband gap in rural Virginia are two sides of the same coin.

That's why I'm running for Virginia's District 7.

The Housing Crisis Is Personal

I got into affordable housing advocacy because I watched friends and neighbors get squeezed out of the communities they loved. Teachers who couldn't afford to live where they taught. Young families who did everything right and still couldn't buy a home. Seniors choosing between medication and rent. This isn't just a policy problem — it's a moral failing.

As your representative, I'll fight for zoning reform, expanded housing funding, and real protections for renters and first-time buyers. I'm running as the Affordable Housing Candidate because I believe your zip code shouldn't determine your future — and because housing is the foundation everything else is built on.

From Sustainability Council to State Legislature

For years, I served as Chair of Falls Church City's Environmental Sustainability Council, where I worked to bring clean energy, reduce waste, and make our community a model for sustainable development. That experience taught me that local action matters — but it also showed me the limits of what local government can do alone.

Virginia needs state-level leadership on climate and clean energy. We need someone who understands that transitioning to renewable energy isn't just about the environment — it's about jobs, it's about lowering energy costs for families, and it's about positioning Virginia as a leader in the economy of the future. As a VC investor in environmental companies, I've seen firsthand how clean technology creates opportunity. I want to bring that vision to Richmond.

What I'll Fight For

My priorities are simple and concrete:

Affordable Housing: Zoning reform, expanded funding, tenant protections, and support for first-time homebuyers. Everyone deserves a stable place to live.

Clean Energy: Accelerating Virginia's transition to 100% renewable energy, expanding community solar programs, and bringing clean energy jobs to District 7.

Smart Growth: Universal broadband access, better public transit, and development that strengthens communities instead of straining them.

Environmental Protection: Stronger protections for our waterways, farmland, and public lands. Virginia's natural beauty isn't just nice to have — it's who we are.

Small Business & Innovation: Streamlined regulations, expanded access to capital, and support for the entrepreneurs and inventors who drive our economy.

These aren't just talking points — they're commitments. I'll be transparent about my positions, I'll show up to listen, and I'll fight for what's right even when it's not easy.

A Different Kind of Candidate

I know I'm not a typical political candidate. I'm an inventor and an investor. I've spent more nights in a tent than in a boardroom. I think about housing policy as much as I think about hiking trails. And I believe that's exactly what District 7 needs — someone who brings real-world experience, fresh perspective, and genuine passion to the job.

I'm not running because politics is my career. I'm running because the communities I love are facing real challenges, and I have the skills, the experience, and the determination to help.

Join Me

This campaign isn't about me — it's about us. It's about the families who need affordable housing, the workers who deserve clean energy jobs, the communities that need investment and attention. I can't do this alone.

If you believe Virginia deserves better — if you believe we can build communities where everyone has a fair shot — I'm asking you to join me. Volunteer. Donate. Knock on doors. Have conversations with your neighbors. Together, we'll build a District 7 that works for everyone.

Let's get to work.

— Joseph Schiarizzi
Candidate, Virginia District 7
The Affordable Housing Candidate