                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

QUANTITY OF LAND BENEVOLENT AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS MAY HOLD (§ 57-20)

Except as otherwise provided in this section, the trustee for the use of any
benevolent or other association referred to in § 57-19 shall not hereafter take
or hold, at one time, any land exceeding five acres; and the trustees of two or
more bodies or societies may hold jointly, land not exceeding five acres;
provided that the local governing body of any county or city may by ordinance
authorize such trustee or trustees to take and hold in such county or city not
exceeding 10 acres of land at any one time. However, a school league may, in
addition to the five acres held by such trustees, hold not exceeding 10 acres as
a home for the principal of the school for which the league is named. All such
holdings heretofore acquired are validated; except holdings that are in
litigation prior to or on July 1, 1964.
		Any lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks or other groups
organized for rural community civic purposes or improvement of farm life or
operations of like purposes and not for profit may hold not exceeding 35 acres
of land. All such holdings heretofore acquired are validated; except holdings
that are in litigation on or before July 1, 2002.
		Any association or post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion,
Spanish War Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, or any similar association of
veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States chartered by an act of
Congress may hold not exceeding 200 acres of land. Notwithstanding any other
provision of law conveyances of land made prior to June 29, 1948, to any such
post or association of veterans is validated provided the same is not in excess
of 75 acres. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 58.1-3607, for real property
owned by an association or post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American
Legion, Spanish War Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, or any similar
association of veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States chartered by an
act of Congress, that portion of real property owned by such association or post
in excess of 75 acres shall be subject to the provisions of § 58.1-3651 and
shall not be exempt from taxation unless an ordinance to that effect is adopted
by the local governing body.

HISTORY: Code 1919, § 48; 1948, p. 634; 1956, c. 454; 1964, c. 553; 1986, c.
63; 2002, c. 638; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 234.