New numbers from the Census Bureau show how the housing boom is shaping construction across Virginia.
The number of housing permits approved across Virginia is up about 20% since the summer before the pandemic. That’s according to new residential construction numbers from the Census Bureau.
Salim Furth at George Mason University's Mercatus Center says that the housing boom is driven largely by construction of single-family homes.
"It's really good to see the rebound, and both multi-family and single-family housing construction numbers are above their 2019 levels, which shows that we are making back some of last year's deficit," Furth explains. "But if we allowed more, especially small, multi-family buildings in all our residential zones, we'd get more options for people to live in all sorts of different neighborhoods all around the state."
Brian Koziol at the Virginia Housing Alliance says proposals for multi-family housing are often rejected by local governments after public opposition. He says that happened recently in Chesterfield County.
"The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in opposition to this bond sale," explains Koziol. "So they're certainly influenced by the public when they come out regardless of the overwhelming need in Virginia in every jurisdiction in every locality for more affordable housing."
Many advocates are worried that the need for affordable housing will become even greater when landlords are able to start evicting tenants again.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
