Legislators are proposing a wide range of measures to tackle Virginia’s affordable housing crisis.
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It took more than a dozen years from the time members of Petersburg’s Tabernacle Baptist Church first thought the 12 acres the church owned next to its sanctuary could help solve a pressing issue – a lack of affordable housing – until the first shovelful of dirt turned.
But with 47 units that opened in 2011, the Rev. Robert Diggs and the congregation are trying to tackle the affordable housing challenge. They hope to build 58 more units next to their Claiborne Square development.
They think some tweaks to state law could help address some of the hurdles and roadblocks that slowed their first effort.
Affordable housing is one of the hottest topics before the 2025 General Assembly. Legislators are wrestling with the often-fractious issues that swirl around local zoning and land use and a growing concern that buying a home or renting an apartment is beyond the reach of too many Virginians.
