When more than 2,000 people across Hampton Roads took the survey from the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission this spring, they ranked housing as their top concern, followed by education.
The main goal of the survey – which ran in March – was to see if leaders and residents are on the same page when it comes to regional priorities.
The planning district commission works with local governments and organizations to put together regional economic forecasts and work on region-wide issues like flood mitigation, housing and roads. It includes 17 localities from Gloucester to the North Carolina border, and from Virginia Beach to Southampton County.
Housing coming in at number one didn’t come as a surprise to most regional planners, said Eric Walberg, the principal for planning and economics with commission.
The region’s housing shortage is a major pain point for economic growth. But public transit coming in at third — before road networks and flood mitigation — was a bit unexpected, he said.
“While transit is certainly important to the regional leadership, it doesn't rank this high,” Walberg said. “And this is exactly the kind of information we were after in doing the public survey.”
Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover said the results reflected what he hears from Portsmouth residents, including the need for faster public transportation.
“It's an equity issue for many of our citizens here in Hampton Roads,” he said. “Having adequate transportation really gives you an opportunity to participate in the society.”
Currently, Hampton Roads Transit offers light rail service in Norfolk and has considered eventually extending it to Chesapeake. Glover said he hopes to see it expanded to Portsmouth.
Gregory McLemore, a long-time council member for the city of Franklin, said the survey’s results don’t necessarily reflect the concerns of residents in his city.
“Number one would definitely be economic development,” he said, noting he’d like to see more tourism to Franklin, as well as hotels and attractions like Rosie’s Gaming Center.
“It would benefit our school system, which helps us create a better workforce, and that workforce would be available to Hampton Roads if we had better transportation,” he said.
Some survey takers wrote in issues that weren’t listed. Top write-in responses included public safety, regional coordination, child care and aging services.
Walberg said many projects are already in process in the state and region to address the issues identified in the survey. For the HRPDC, next steps include documenting these ongoing projects and identifying gaps.
