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Blacksburg’s housing shortage spurs debate over density and affordable housing

A rendered image of what Legacy on Main may look like. The housing development will house 56 families, and those who earn 80 percent of Blacksburg's Area Median Income (AMI), about $63,000 for a family of four.
Courtesy Community Housing Partners
A rendered image of what Legacy on Main may look like. The housing development will house 56 families, and those who earn 80 percent of Blacksburg's Area Median Income (AMI), about $63,000 for a family of four.

Nestled in the New River Valley, the small town of Blacksburg is growing, and many who work in town can’t afford to live there. And while most people agree more affordable housing is needed, residents remain divided when it comes to how, and where, to put developments.

Despite increased interest rates, the housing shortage across the country has not gone away. In communities where housing is in high demand, like Blacksburg, prices continue to climb.

“It’s an uphill battle,” said Matt Hanraty, assistant to the town manager in Blacksburg. “I don’t want to sugar coat it.”

He said much of the high demand in Blacksburg is a result of Virginia Tech, which is growing.

“16,000 people commute into town each day for work. Virginia Tech is the largest employer.”

In the last couple of years, town officials have heard from students who can’t afford rent in Blacksburg. Many are commuting from Christiansburg, where housing costs are a bit lower.

Last year, Virginia Tech’s board of visitors approved an on-campus student life village, which town leaders say will help ease housing demand a bit. Blacksburg is currently working with non-profit and private developers to build several affordable housing projects in the next few years. The town is investing several million dollars of federal money from the American Rescue Plan towards affordable housing.

Last March, the town council voted to rezone an area to allow for a lower-income housing development near the Virginia Tech campus that will house 56 families. Lots of people spoke against the project, Legacy on Main, which is being developed by the non-profit, Community Housing Partners.

“I think there’s a lot of angst, not understanding who’s going to live there,” Hanraty said. “We heard a lot of that.”

Legacy On Main is eligible for those who earn 80 percent of Blacksburg’s Area Median Income (AMI). For a family of four in Blacksburg, that’s about $63,000 a year, which includes public school teachers, police officers, day care workers, and many Virginia Tech employees.

Nationwide, similar trends in housing are playing out in other growth markets. Hanraty said about four-five million homes across the country are needed to fill the housing shortage. “And it’s gonna take a long time to dig our way out of that, if we can ever dig ourselves out of that,” Hanraty said.

He said denser housing, with several stories of apartments, is one of the easiest ways to add affordable housing. But it looks different than suburban-type developments, with single-family homes and big yards.

“That creates a lot of conflicts with the existing surrounding communities on what it should be,” Hanraty said.

Developers are currently asking town leaders to approve another rezoning request for a housing project called Glade Spring Crossing, which is scheduled to be discussed at the next Blacksburg Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, January 17.

Updated: January 13, 2023 at 3:57 PM EST
Editor's Note: Radio IQ is a service of Virginia Tech.

Roxy Todd is Radio IQ's New River Valley Bureau Chief.