This November, CSPDC’s Housing Program Manager Olivia Raines, was invited to present at the Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference (VAGHC) in Arlington, VA. The conference was held November 16 – 18, and the theme was ‘Build, Expand, Achieve,’ with an emphasis on linking affordable housing to economic development goals.

Olivia Raines, Housing Program Manager at the CSPDC, presented twice at the VAGHC. The first presentation, “Delivering Affordable Housing through Regionalism,” was centered around the $2 million PDC Housing Development Program Grant, which provides gap funds to developers in the region toward the completion of new units of affordable housing. Olivia shared how the funds have been used both toward the development of 60 new units of housing in the region and to further other regional housing initiatives, such as the Regional Housing Study.

Olivia also presented with Virginia Main Street at a session called “Remote Worker Recruitment for Rural Communities,” focused on Virginia Main Street’s Remote Work Pilot Program. The program provides technical assistance to localities that want to develop strategies around remote worker attraction and management. Of the 5 localities that received assistance across the state, 3 are located in the Central Shenandoah Region; Highland County, Buena Vista, and Harrisonburg. The presentation discussed how each localities remote work goals relate to housing needs.

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is assisting with investing a projected $100 million over the next five years to install public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across Virginia through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program, which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL). VDOT recently completed the Virginia Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan to begin the first phase of installation occurring along interstates designated “Alternative Fuel Corridors,” which includes I-81 and I-64.

Localities will be able to apply for EV charging and fueling infrastructure funding through a related discretionary BIL program in 2023. The CSPDC will share program information with our local planning partners once it is available.

The SAWMPO is beginning a new study to address priority safety concerns at six intersections in Staunton, Augusta County, and Waynesboro. The study will evaluate safety improvements based on crash history, current and future traffic volume, roadway design, and other site characteristics to identify candidate projects for future grant applications through programs such as SMARTSCALE, TAP, Revenue Sharing, and the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). The consultant-led study is expected to be complete in Spring 2023.

The GO Virginia Region 8 Council will meet at Blue Ridge Community College on October 18 to consider a funding request from the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Commission for the continued development of the Shenandoah Valley Aviation Technology Park. The Airport Commission includes representatives from the counties of Augusta and Rockingham and the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro, and Harrisonburg. The proposed GO Virginia project will relocate utilities from the middle of the 58-acre site to its perimeter. This will create the opportunity to construct additional hangars to meet the distinctive needs of aviation-related businesses. The utility relocation project directly follows a design and engineering phase that was supported by a GO Virginia Enhanced Capacity Building grant and a hangar construction project, currently underway, that is supported by an Economic Development Administration Public Works grant. The CSPDC provided technical assistance and grant administration services for these projects.