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.
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 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.
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.