Griffith, Kaine, Warner introduce bills in Congress to get Fairlawn its own zip code

A group of Virginia lawmakers has introduced legislation in Congress to designate a unique ZIP code for the community of Fairlawn, Virginia.

Fairlawn, population: 2,419, located in Pulaski County, is currently included in the City of Radford’s zip code (24141). You wouldn’t necessarily think this, but for years, the lack of a unique zip code has caused significant issues for Fairlawn and Pulaski County residents, including a loss of tax revenue and confusion regarding representation, jurisdiction, regulations, ordinances and services.

The ZIP code issue became a barrier to disaster assistance after Hurricane Helene, when Fairlawn residents discovered they could not access Individual Assistance through FEMA’s online portal because the City of Radford was not part of the disaster declaration at that time.

U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, both D-Va., have introduced legislation to remedy the issue in the U.S. Senate.

Ninth District Republican Congressman Morgan Griffith has introduced the companion legislation in the U.S. House.

Griffith, Kaine and Warner released a joint statement on their bills:

“For too long, Fairlawn has unfairly missed out on tax revenue that would otherwise fund education, public safety, and public services due to confusion regarding its ZIP code. Recently, we were dismayed to find that Fairlawn residents facing loss and catastrophe after Hurricane Helene could not access individual assistance through FEMA’s online portal simply because they possessed a Radford ZIP code. We are proud to introduce this legislation to give Fairlawn its own ZIP code and avoid further confusion and stress for this community.”