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HARRISONBURG, Virginia (WHSV) - Low-cost housing has emerged as a frequently discussed issue among local residents. It has also increasingly been a focus during recent city council sessions.
On Tuesday, the city council plans to utilize five pieces of vacant property belonging to the city of Harrisonburg, converting them into low-cost residential areas. The initial parcel is located at the corner of Reservoir Street and Stonewall Drive.
The approved decision about selling this vacant piece of property might be transformed into multi-family residences suitable for households with low to moderate incomes.
Frank Gordon from the Valley Housing Trust, the company seeking to acquire the property from the municipality, plans to develop this piece of land into low-cost residences in Harrisonburg.
"The developer has suggested developing as many as five rental units that will have income restrictions," said Liz Webb, the City of Harrisonburg's Housing Director.
Rentals with income restrictions, as noted by Webb, may be inhabited by individuals whose earnings fall under the local average income in Harrisonburg.
This is merely one example of what we can accomplish locally by locating plots of land that aren't currently in use," Webb stated, "and properties that the city doesn't require, then figuring out how to return them to circulation.
Currently, this doesn’t imply that the housing project will take place, since the main purpose of this vote is the transfer of the land from the city to the developer. Nevertheless, even if the sale is authorized, there are still multiple challenges and barriers to overcome prior to the housing being formally acknowledged.