Blacksburg Town Council Work Session on Housing Strategies and Regional Trust Fund - March 13, 2024

Note: The agenda and minutes indicate this meeting originally took place on March 5, 2024. The date provided for this summary is March 13, 2024, and is used as instructed.

The Blacksburg Town Council held a work session to discuss housing strategies and a regional housing trust fund. Presentations were given by staff and the New River Valley Regional Commission. No formal votes were taken.

Discussion Items

Housing Strategies Update

Housing & Community Connections Initiatives Manager Kim Thurlow provided an update on the Town's housing strategies, focusing on university-town partnerships. Examples included the University of Virginia/Charlottesville and George Mason University/Fairfax collaborations to create affordable housing options.

Regional Housing Trust Fund Discussion

Jennifer Wilsie of the New River Valley Regional Commission reviewed regional housing efforts and gave an overview of the New River Valley HOME Consortium. She explained the difference between a regional versus a local housing trust fund and outlined additional efforts, including seeking $600,000 in local investment from localities and partners to support affordable housing development.

Council/Staff Exchange

Town Manager Marc Verniel advised Council of upcoming zoning amendments and discussed the Harding Avenue Sewer project, noting that a tree will need to be removed before work can begin. Councilmember Jerry Ford discussed a proposed letter regarding citizen concerns about Mountain Valley Pipeline construction, noting that inspection reports indicated environmental problems were not necessarily near the Town. Vice Mayor Michael Sutphin added that another letter previously discussed for Lewis Gale Montgomery would now be a joint letter from the Town and Montgomery County.

Key Outcomes

No formal decisions or votes were taken during this work session. Council received updates on housing strategies, regional housing trust fund efforts, and administrative matters. The discussions serve as a foundation for future action.