News
New PDC Housing Development Program
A new source of funding through Virginia Housing will help the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) and its housing partners create more affordable housing units in the region. On July 13, Virginia Housing announced $40 million in grants to Virginia’s 21 Planning Districts. Based on its population, the CSPDC will receive $2 million over 3 years. The PDC Housing Development Program will promote regional approaches to planning and development, bring together local housing partners, and support housing projects that create new affordable housing units throughout the region. Through this opportunity, the CSPDC will work closely Virginia Housing and the region’s housing delivery partners including local governments, housing authorities, non-profit organizations, developers, and other groups working to address the need for affordable rental and homeownership housing units. The CSPDC plans to bring stakeholders together to launch the program this fall.
Bath-Highland Network Authority Public Notice
Public Notice of a Meeting of the Bath-Highland Network Authority
On July 12th, 2021 at 1:00 p.m., the Bath-Highland Network Authority will hold a meeting at the Bolar Ruritan Club, 38 Bolar Ln Monterey, VA 24465. For more information about the meeting, please contact Ms. Hunter Moore at 540-885-5174 or hunter@cspdc.org.
New Community Projects in Buena Vista
In February, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation awarded the City of Buena Vista a $78,000 grant to create a new public gathering place on the corner of 21st Street and Magnolia Avenue. Together the City and the ActionBV Committee (comprised of local citizens) plans to transform the site into a community Town Square, providing seating, bike racks, and outdoor recreation information. To promote the use of the Town Square site, ActionBV aided in the installation of a mural and hosted a public movie night in May.
The ActionBV Committee has also recently been accepted into the Citizens Institute on Rural Design’s (CIRD) cohort to begin redesigning and enhancing the entrance to Buena Vista’s River Walk. CIRD is a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts that empowers local citizens to use their unique artistic and cultural resources to guide local development.
Both projects support the revitalization of downtown and will create a more welcoming City for residents and visitors to enjoy. Community enhancement grant opportunities such as these are made available on the CSPDC Grant Resource Guide.
Logo for Rockbridge Outdoors
As part of their strategic plan update, Rockbridge Outdoors (previously Rockbridge Area Outdoor Partnership) has launched a new brand and logo featuring a compass and the area’s iconic House Mountain. The mission of Rockbridge Outdoors, a partnership of 44 organizations, is to collaboratively advance, create, and promote outdoor recreational opportunities in the Rockbridge Area. This new logo will help promote the Partnership’s efforts and will be used on trail signage and marketing materials. The strategic plan update will be finalized this summer and will outline the Rockbridge Outdoors’s priorities for the next five years. The CSPDC provides grant and administrative support to this organization and its efforts.
VAPDC Summer Series
The statewide Planning District Commission organization (VAPDC) is offering a four-part online Summer Series on June 8, June 29, July 27 and August 24. Topics include Housing Opportunities, 2021 Election Analysis, Federal Partnerships and Broadband Solutions. Registration is now open. Cost is $10 per session or $35 for all four in the series.