Housing
The objective of housing is to provide safe, sanitary, and affordable homes to households in the New River Valley. The New River Valley Planning District Commission is involved with housing through grant administration of Community Development Block Grant projects, membership on the Housing Partnership Board, and staff to the New River Valley HOME Consortium.
Housing projects with Community Development Block Grants, funded by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development are open on a competitive basis to any non-entitlement locality and focus on the housing needs of a specific neighborhood. Housing activities are eligible for CDBG assistance to improve the living conditions of low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons. CDBG funding may be used to rehabilitate LMI-occupied housing units or in support of the development of new housing units which will be occupied by LMI persons.
The Housing Partnership is a group of individuals and agencies serving the housing needs of those in the NRV. The group meets monthly to share information and collaborate on projects. The group is also responsible for the annual Point In Time homelessness count.
The Planning District Commission, in conjunction with the Town of Blacksburg's Housing and Neighborhood Services, staff the New River Valley HOME Consortium. Funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the New River Valley HOME Consortium is a regional consortium that includes the counties of Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, and the City of Radford. The purpose of the HOME Consortium is to create housing opportunities for households earning at or below 80% of the area median income. Activities can include new homeownership, homeowner rehab, rental, or down payment assistance.
Through the work of the Livability Initiative, the Planning District Commission hopes to create a region-wide Housing Plan, looking at existing and projected housing data, which will work to inform many future housing decisions.