By Shernita Bethea
Housing/Human Services Manager

The Governor of Virginia’s Senior Economic Advisor, Bob Sledd recently released an interim report to the Governor regarding the Housing Policy Framework for the Commonwealth of Virginia.  This report was released at the Governor’s Housing Conference held in Richmond, VA.  The Virginia Housing Policy Work Group and Advisory Committee established the following principles in response to Governor McDonnell’s Executive Order 10 (2010)
 
1.    Recognize the role of the housing industry as a critical economic development engine within the Commonwealth by streamlining regulations, ensuring robust finance and construction sectors, promoting the development of workforce housing, reducing commute times between home and work, and increasing residential access to transportation systems, while furthering public understanding of housing finance and economic literacy.
 
2.    Promote sustainable and vibrant communities through measures that promote mixed use development, increase energy efficiency and use of cost effective green building concepts, support the rehabilitation of substandard housing, clarify the role of community associations in common interest communities, and expand public-private cooperation in addressing affordable safe housing.
 
3.    Ensure that a range of housing options can be provided to  meet the housing needs of a dynamic and changing population, achieve proper balance between homeownership and rental options, promote a continuum of quality housing options for special needs populations, match existing subsidies with areas of housing need, and increase the emphasis on fair housing (eliminating barriers to housing).
 
4.    Increase capacity to address the needs of homeless Virginians by focusing on the reduction of chronic homelessness, ensuring the continued viability of the safety net of shelters and services, and investing in transitional and permanent supportive housing.
 
The full interim report can be viewed at the Virginia Housing Policy website. http://www.virginiahousingpolicy.com/