BLACKSBURG, Va. – Housing in Blacksburg has been a problem for years — so much so that in the recent mayoral election, both candidates highlighted housing in their campaigns. But today, Community Housing Partners broke ground on a new affordable housing neighborhood.
Jake Powell, Community Housing Partners’ director of home ownership, said affordable options remain a growing concern.
“It’s a growing issue. Affordable options for folks in the community. So this is a big step forward. It brings and attracts investment to our region to make homes and the construction of them more affordable,” Powell said.
James Craighead, an associate broker with Remax8, said the region’s housing challenges stem from local government restrictions.
“Realistically, the major problem here is governance. Having these lots that you can’t build more densely on, just due to zoning regulations, perceptions — all of that kind of stuff limits what we can do here,” Craighead said.
Ever-increasing rental costs, a near-zero vacancy rate and the highest pre-lease rate in the country have made homeownership for Blacksburg’s low-income families nearly impossible.
“There’s a lot of competition from students. Virginia Tech has grown by 17 percent in the last 10 years. And there hasn’t been inventory built in kind of that middle-housing area in a long time in Blacksburg,” Craighead said.
But the Stroubles Ridge housing complex will feature 20 homes, breaking from the town’s past resistance to dense development while increasing middle-housing inventory — a plan that has been well received by the public.
“I think once we communicate the vision that we are trying to achieve here, it’s very well received. I think we are community-minded developers. We work with and for the community,” Powell said.