Roanoke County is taking a close look at whether it has enough of the right kind of housing for its residents.
Whether you rent or own, the price of housing is rising across the U.S. — to the point where it's become difficult for folks to afford what they've got now, much less consider moving into a new home that may be better suited for them.
Local governments in the Roanoke Valley are taking a closer look at how to relieve that problem. Roanoke city changed its zoning laws last year to encourage different kinds of housing, although council members are revisiting the change. Meanwhile, Roanoke County is in the midst of a housing market analysis that's likely to result in some policy changes over the coming months.
Kyle Talente is president of RKG Associates, the firm conducting the study. One issue that it's already identified is that most of the biggest job types in Roanoke County don't pay enough for people to afford housing.
"From a housing demand analysis, the jobs that are here and the jobs that are created generally can't afford much of the housing that exists in the county," Talente says. "The reality is when you start paying more than 30% of income, you then start making decisions that are very challenging. Do I pay rent this month or go to doctor? Do I pay rent this month or buy food?"
The answer, Talente says, is to offer a better mix of housing options: Single family houses, townhouses, apartments. And that will likely require some changes to the county's zoning.
Take the former Poage Farm, a 15-acre property where developer Aboone Real Estate originally planned to build a mix of townhomes and commercial business sites. After community opposition threatened to derail the rezoning needed for such a project, the developer changed the plan to build 100 to 120 single-family homes instead, which won't require a vote.
David Radford, who chairs the Roanoke County board of supervisors and is a developer himself, says something's got to give.
"We've got to change our mindset for the next generation," Radford says. "We don't need to handcuff our grandchildren's children down the line with zoning restrictions."
But the county has to be careful about where it places higher density zoning. Radford says it makes sense to put it in spots with existing sewer and water lines: "Those are two key things you need for higher density, are that sewer and that water."
RKG Associates will hold another meeting later this year, and expects to make recommendations by early 2026. Those recommendations will go to the county planning commission before they reach the board of supervisors.
