Tuesday, November 5, 2024

US Senate passes bill that would fund affordable housing and infrastructure in Charlottesville area

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – Draft bills passed by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee would give more than $3 million to various groups and organizations in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

The funding bill would help support projects surrounding affordable housing, infrastructure, and youth engagement in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

“Charlottesville can make local investments in affordable housing, but to make any affordable housing project come together, you also need investment from the state and federal government,” Charlottesville City Councilor Michael Payne said. “Without this support and investment from the federal government, we would never be able to do, major, transformative affordable housing projects.”

Payne says $1.25 million will go to renovate a commercial building on Cherry Avenue.

“The goal is it can at least help contribute to at least 71 units of affordable housing,” Payne said.

Another $1.075 million would go to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville with plans to build affordable housing in Southwood.

“The affordable rentals we’re talking about will go right alongside our home ownership units, and there’ll be condos as well as townhomes,” Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville Chief Advancement Officer Michelle Wamsley said. “Folks will continue to have a choice on the rental side, just like they do on the homeownership side.”

She says now they’re waiting for congress to move the money forward.

“If that’s the case, then this funding does come to fruition. We expect these units to be completed in the summer of 2026,” Wamsley said.

If the budget is pushed through $880,000 will also go to the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority.

RWSA’s Director of Communications Betsy Nemeth said that money will be used for vital equipment improvements.

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