Category Archives: News

CSPDC Staff Attend SERDI Leadership Conference

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The Southeast Regional Directors Institute (SERDI) is a voluntary professional development association for regional council executive directors in the southeastern United States. SERDI provides technical assistance and training designed and tailored specifically for regional planning agencies.

CSPDC staff attended the SERDI’s 2nd Leadership Development Training Conference held on February 19-21, 2025 in Greenville, South Carolina. The Training was designed for council’s deputy directors, and department heads and it focused on six areas important to leadership in regional councils: (1) Basic Understanding of Leadership (2) Key Things that are Needed to Understand the Finances of a Regional Council (3) Basic Human Resources (4) Board of Directors and Your Local Government Logistics and Working Relationships (5) The Various Programs of Regional Councils Across the SERDI Footprint, and (6) Technology/AI.

CSPDC Localities Awarded $1.4 Million in CDBG Funding

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On February 6, Governor Youngkin announced more than $23.6 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) for 33 projects across the Commonwealth. Three of these projects were located in the CSPDC.


Goshen Community Service Facility – CDBG Community Improvement Grant

Total: $1,250,000

The Town of Goshen was awarded a $1.25 million CDBG Community Improvement Grant to build a multi-purpose community service facility. The facility will improve quality of life for town residents and the surrounding area by creatively providing an array of essential services under one roof. The proposed facility would provide health care, a food pantry, senior services, and many needed community services under one roof in an area that currently lack easy access to these basic amenities.

Briery Branch Community Center – CDBG Planning Grant

Total: $100,000

Rockingham County received a $100,000 Planning Grant to support the renovation of the Briery Branch Community Center and address the growing demand for accessible childcare services in the area. The center, which has served local communities since 1958, faces critical building and equipment needs. The planned renovation will ensure the center continues to serve the Briery Branch area for years to come while expanding access to childcare providers.

Fountainhead Subdivision Bridgewater – CDBG Planning Grant

Total: $60,000

The Town of Bridgewater was awarded a $60,000 Planning Grant to address infrastructure issues in the Fountainhead Subdivision, where aging water, sewer, and stormwater systems have caused frequent service problems. The grant would fund the development of preliminary engineering and design plans to upgrade the subdivision’s infrastructure, which will then be used to bid and implement necessary improvements.

Over $19 Million Awarded for Affordable and Special Needs Housing in Waynesboro and Harrisonburg

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On February 26, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced $139 million in Affordable and Special Needs Housing (ASNH) loans for 41 projects across the state, including five within the CSPDC’s region. Of this total, more than $19 million has been allocated to affordable housing projects in Waynesboro and Harrisonburg.

The funding aims to create and preserve housing units for low-income and extremely low-income households. The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) administers the ASNH program, with funding drawn from multiple sources, including the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), Housing Innovations in Energy Efficiency (HIEE), and the Virginia Housing Trust Fund (VHTF).

Among the local recipients:

  • The Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority secured over $9 million for two developments as part of the Bluestone Town Center.
  • The Beverly J. Searles Foundation received a $5 million loan for its Harrisonburg Family I project.
  • Enterprise Community Development received $4 million for its 1030 Alston Court project in Waynesboro.
  •  Woda Cooper Development was awarded $1 million for the Rosenwald Pointe project in Waynesboro.

Highland Inn Receives Virginia 250 Grant

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Governor Youngkin announced last week that the Virginia Department of Historic Resources awarded the Blue Grass Resource Center a $1.75 Million Virginia 250 Preservation Fund grant to support the renovation and reopening of the historic Highland Inn. The inn was one of 35 preservation projects in Virginia awarded in preparation for the 2026 anniversary of the America Revolution and the Declaration of Independence.

Located on Main Street in Monterey, the Highland Inn is listed on the Virginia and national historic register. In 2021, Phase 1 of the revitalization effort successfully stabilized and restored the Inn’s exterior. Phase II will restore the Inn’s interior, completing the final step necessary to reopen the hotel and restaurant.

Regional Housing Webinar Set for February 26

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Join the CSPDC on February 26, 2025, at 11 AM for an insightful webinar on the newly released Regional Housing Study. Featuring expert speakers from Virginia Housing, the Virginia Center for Housing Research, and HousingForward Virginia, this session will explore key findings and proposed solutions to address housing challenges in our localities.

REGISTER HERE

 

CSPDC Releases Regional Housing Study

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The CSPDC recently published a housing study for its five-county region. The Regional Housing Study is the culmination of a major collaborative effort among CSPDC staff, local governments, housing stakeholders and consultants, and includes analysis of local and regional trends as well as solutions to the unique housing supply and affordability issues that its member localities are facing.

Funded by a grant from Virginia Housing, the study was developed by industry experts at Virginia Tech’s Center for Housing Research and HousingForward Virginia. The Regional Housing Study is a detailed analysis tailored to the region and its distinct housing markets. The study team worked closely with local staff and regional stakeholders and engaged in extensive outreach to develop solutions to market challenges that align with local goals and build on existing plans and interests.

CSPDC Chairman and Lexington Mayor Frank Friedman highlighted the critical need for accessible housing in the region and the role the housing study could play in supporting localities, stating, “Ensuring a steady supply of housing, including workforce, affordable, and market rate housing inventory remains a top priority for localities across our region. The release of the CSPDC Housing Study offers County, City, and Town staff reliable insights into housing challenges, viable solutions, and actionable steps toward implementation. This study will undoubtedly become a vital resource in our region’s ongoing efforts to ensure housing stability and continued growth.”

“The release of CSPDC’s Housing Study marks an important milestone for the Commonwealth’s largest planning district, providing localities with a strong foundation to address the region’s diverse housing needs,” said Virginia Housing Director of Strategic Housing Chris Thompson.  “Virginia Housing is proud to support this important regional initiative.”

To read the study, visit CSPDC Housing Study | CSPDC Connects: Planning Together

Planning Together with CSPDC Connect

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CSPDC is excited to announce the launch of our new community engagement platform, CSPDC Connect, which is designed to foster more meaningful and accessible public participation across the Central Shenandoah region.

This innovative digital platform will serve as our hub for community engagement, providing updates on projects, studies, and other CSPDC activities and making participation easy for community members. With multilingual capabilities, our new platform will help ensure the feedback is representative of the diverse community we serve.

CSPDC Connect will be used across all CSPDC’s service areas, from transportation to housing to economic and community development to disaster mitigation and preparedness. It will also support the efforts of the Staunton Augusta Waynesboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (SAWMPO) and Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization (HRMPO), which CSPDC staffs and manages.

SAWMPO will be the first to utilize this new platform with the launch of Phase Two of the 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) update on February 18. This project will invite community feedback on a proposed list of projects, highlighting the importance of public input in shaping regional transportation priorities. You’ll find information about how you can participate in the engagement process on our Social Pinpoint project site – Subscribe now to receive an email when the Phase Two survey is live.

Through features such as project updates, short videos, and interactive tools, community members can use CSPDC Connect to stay informed and see the direct impact of getting involved.

We invite everyone to explore the new platform and join us in shaping the future of the Central Shenandoah region. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to engage with the projects that matter to you.

 

Commuter Assistance Program Strategic Plan Adopted

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CSPDC RideShare staff have completed the Commuter Assistance Program Strategic Plan (CAPSP) and the Board of Commissioners formally adopted the plan at their February 3 meeting. The CAPSP is a Department of Rail and Public Transportation requirement for all state-funded Commuter Assistance Programs and must be completed every five years. This year, the Strategic Plan was developed with technical assistance from Launch! Consulting, and in collaboration with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission.

The Strategic Plan outlines objectives, operations, and performance measures, and will serve as a guidebook for the program until 2030. The Commuter Assistance (RideShare) Program works to connect individuals in the Central Shenandoah region to the alternative transportation options available to them for their commuting needs.

 

CSPDC Submits Transit and Commuter Assistance Program Grant Applications

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The CSPDC applied for eight grants to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT). Applications submitted included: urban and rural capital cost of contracting, urban and rural operating, capital assistance, technical assistance, and commuter assistance operating and project assistance.

Grant funds go towards operating and improving transit and alternative transportation in the Central Shenandoah Valley. DRPT will review applications, and recommendations for funding will be made available when the draft Six-Year Improvement Program is released in Spring 2025.

BRITE Celebrates Transit Equity Day

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The BRITE bus system celebrated Transit Equity Day on Tuesday, February 4. This day of action honors Civil Rights activist and icon, Rosa Parks, for her commitment to dismantling inequality and racism. Park’s refusal to move to the back of the bus and subsequent arrest, helped spark the Montgomery bus boycotts in 1955, which then contributed to the 1956 Supreme Court decision decreeing bus segregation unconstitutional. The legacy of these battles highlights the importance of equity in public transportation. Public transit is a vital vein and resource to communities, giving access to jobs, appointments, shopping centers, and social gatherings, and historically, this critical infrastructure has not been equally accessible or available to all. February 4 is Rosa Park’s birthday, and Transit Equity Day honors her legacy and contributions to Civil Rights and the equal treatment of all individuals. To commemorate, all BRITE routes, including Afton Express, were fare-free on February 4.