Shape the Region's Housing Future
Developers, Community Planners, Builders, and More
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Housing Summit event on June 25, 2025. We are grateful for the discussions, insight and facts that were presented, as well as all of those who came out to listen and work towards making a difference in our region. Below are links to the various presentations that were presented at the event. Should you have more questinons or are interested in getting involved, please contact Jefrado Granger.
The Central Virginia region is growing, but for many individuals and families, finding attainable housing is becoming increasingly out of reach. This summit brought together the people who can change that. Hosted by the Central Virginia Planning District Commission, this event brought together the region’s housing developers, realtors, local officials, lenders, and advocates to address a growing need: attainable housing that meets the demands of our workforce and sustains the economic vitality of our communities.
Attendees heard from industry experts, explored actionable solutions, and left with a deeper understanding of how we can work together to expand housing access for Central Virginia’s workforce, young professionals, and growing families.
Meet the Key Speakers
Jonathan Knopf
Executive Director for Programs
Housing Forward VA
Learn More
Jonathan is the Executive Director for Programs at HousingForward Virginia, where he leads housing research and education efforts across the Commonwealth. He regularly helps local officials, practitioners, and advocates find solutions to their housing challenges by telling stories anchored in data, crafting evidence-based policies, and designing effective communication strategies.
Since 2016, Jonathan's work has led to the nation's first combined community land trust and land bank, Virginia's first regional housing trust fund, increased investments in manufactured home communities, and other innovative successes. He has also led or contributed to numerous state, regional, and local housing studies that sustain efforts to expand housing affordability and security for all Virginians.
Jonathan holds a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. He serves on the board of directors for VCDC and Housing Families First and is a member of the policy advisory committees for HOME of Virginia and the Virginia Housing Alliance.
Ryan Price
Chief Economist
Virginia Association of Realtors
Learn More
For nearly two decades, Ryan has honed his knowledge of Virginia's economy and housing market in a variety of roles in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Ryan is the Chief Economist for Virginia REALTORS®, Virginia's largest trade association, leading a team of researchers that focus on housing market trends in Virginia, and the economic and demographic factors that move the market. Ryan received a master's degree in urban and regional planning from Virginia Tech, and a bachelor's degree in finance from James Madison University.
Emily Hamilton
Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Urbanity Project
Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Learn More
Emily Hamilton is a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Urbanity Project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Her writing has appeared in outlets including the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, and she writes an occasional column at Governing. Hamilton has testified before several state legislatures as well as the U.S. House of Representatives. She received her PhD in economics from George Mason University.
and more
Additional Speakers
Jarrod Elwell
Community Development Regional Manager
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Read Bio
Jarrod serves as the Community Development Regional Manager for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He joined the Richmond Fed in January 2023, bringing almost three decades of experience in community development. He has designed, launched, and managed innovative programs that have brought together the public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors to address complex social challenges. Prior to joining the Richmond Fed, Jarrod spent 12 years at Enterprise Community Partners, providing housing and community development technical assistance and capacity building support to nonprofits, neighborhoods, cities, counties, states, and the federal government.
Chris Thompson
Director of Strategic Housing
Virginia Housing
Read Bio
Chris Thompson is the Director of Strategic Housing at Virginia Housing where he leads a team charged with developing and managing relationships with the Commonwealth’s Housing Services Delivery Network. Mr. Thompson coordinates the design and delivery of trainings intended to strengthen the ability of local officials, land use planners, planning entities, and housing developers to better address local affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization issues.
Edwin Gaskin
Founder & President
Echelon Resources
Read Bio
Edwin Gaskin is founder and president of Echelon Resources, Inc., a Virginia-based historic property redevelopment firm that specializes in redeveloping buildings that have outlived their original use and that often are blighting their host communities. The Echelon team works as a Developer/Owner across Virginia and North Carolina, often in smaller markets - working closely with the local government partners to produce a shared success. The Echelon team manages projects from concept to completion, including analyzing site feasibility, developing project financial models, managing investor participation, directing construction activities, and supervising sales and/or leasing activities. Edwin Gaskin also has 20+ years doing investment real estate and has extensive experience working in economic development at both the state and local government levels.
Ron Blackwood
Vice President
L.G. Flint General Contractors
Read Bio
Ron Blackwood is Vice President at L.G. Flint General Contractors and Partner in the Blackwater Run neighborhood. With almost 30 years’ experience, Ron has designed and developed multiple multi- family communities, condominiums and residential. Ron has also rehabilitated 9 communities, over 500,000 SF of commercial space and redesigned numerous homes. He has extensive knowledge of development, construction, design and construction management.
Tracey Ballagh
Executive Director
Rush Homes
Read Bio
Tracey Ballagh, Executive Director of Rush Homes and a U.S. Army veteran, dedicated nearly 19 years to serving the City of Lynchburg as a police officer and in Adult Protective Services. She is a passionate advocate for marginalized populations, working to advance affordable, accessible housing for those most in need.
Daryl Calfee
Real Estate Developer
Penny Lane Properties
Read Bio
Daryl is well-known in his Lynchburg community as a creative leader. He is an active real estate developer focusing on adaptive reuse through his development and construction company - Penny Lane - rebuilding + restoring commercial and residential mixed-use throughout forgotten spaces of Lynchburg. Previously he was VP of Marketing for luxury leather brand - Moore & Giles. Prior to his service at Moore & Giles he worked for more than 10 years as an Art Director in the advertising and marketing world. He has also served as Chairman of the Daily Bread and as an adjunct college professor for both Liberty University and the University of Lynchburg. Learn more about Daryl at: www.pennylaneproperties.com and www.darylcalfee.com
Sarah Quarantotto
Executive Director
Miriams House
Read Bio
Sarah Quarantotto is the Executive Director of Miriam’s House in Lynchburg, VA. With a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University, she has led the organization since 2010, expanding services and programs for households experiencing homelessness. In 2015 Sarah was recognized by Lynchburg Business Magazine as a Top 20 Under 40 Professional and in 2024 was recognized by Lynchburg Living Magazine as a Community Champion.
Bryan Phipps
President & CEO
People Incorporated of Virginia
Read Bio
Bryan Phipps is the President and CEO of People Incorporated of Virginia, bringing nearly 26 years of experience in nonprofit development and management. He specializes in securing and deploying investment capital, project development, and community outreach to support economic development initiatives in low-income communities.
Terrick Moyer
Director
Lighthouse Community Center
Read Bio
Terrick holds a Bachelors in Psychology, Bachelors in Biblical Literature, and Masters in Counseling. He has over 40 years’ experience working in Community Mental Health, mostly in residential programs such as foster care, transitional homes, and correctional institutions.
He has been the Director of the Lighthouse Community Center for 11 years and was instrumental in helping to develop and design the concept of the Lighthouse Beloved Community. The first of its kind, Community Land Trust, offering wraparound supportive services, on location, on a single tract of land.
Shelby Carney
Special Projects Director
Partnership for Housing Affordability (PHA)
Read Bio
Shelby Carney is the Special Projects Director at the Partnership for Housing Affordability (PHA), a nonprofit focused on expanding access to housing through policy, research, and collaboration. In her role, Ms. Carney works with local governments, developers, and key stakeholders to administer investment programs to build and preserve quality affordable housing in the Richmond region.
Michael Craig
PhD Research Economist
the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy Development and Research
Read Bio
Michael Craig is a PhD Research Economist for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy Development and Research, where he focuses on topic areas related to housing supply and affordability, mortgage finance, urban planning, and disaster resilience and recovery. Michael lives in downtown Lynchburg, sits on the board of the Fifth Street Community Development Corporation, and was previously an economics professor at the University of Lynchburg.
Stephen Versen
Chief Operations Officer
Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission
Read Bio
In August 2023, Stephen Versen began serving as Deputy Director the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. In this role he serves as the organization’s Chief Operations Officer, leading the development and implementation of the Commission’s strategic initiatives, managing Commission staff and taking the lead on economic development projects. Previously, Stephen spent nearly 15 years with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services administering the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) fund, an incentive grant program for attracting new and expanding agriculture- and forestry-based business to Virginia.
Stephen’s other work experiences include the City of Staunton’s Department of Economic Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Virginia Main Street program, where he assisted communities with their downtown revitalization efforts. He most recently worked at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership as a Business Manager in Regional Talent Solutions and Business Outreach team. Stephen graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelors of Business Administration (Economics & History Majors) and received his Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. He lives in Richmond with his wife and three children.
Tory McGowan
Program Manager
Real Estate Office of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
Read Bio
Tory is Program Manager for the Real Estate Office of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and has been part DHCD for nearly ten years. He currently manages the Enterprise Zone, Industrial Revitalization Fund, and Port Host Communities Revitalization Fund programs. He has also worked with the GO Virginia and Virginia Main Street programs in his time at DHCD. Tory has nearly 20 years of community and economic development experience at both the state and local levels in Virginia and Missouri.
Courtney Mailey
Program Manager
Virginia’s Main Street America Coordinating Program
Read Bio
Courtney Mailey is the Program Manager of Virginia’s Main Street America Coordinating Program. In addition to leading the VMS team, Courtney is a passionate small-scale real estate developer, and she has been working in community and economic development for 20+ years. She loves old buildings, fresh ideas and more. Courtney has worked with the International Economic Development Council, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, The Flax Trust of Northern Ireland, and the Virginia Wine industry.
Laura Dupuy
Manager
Virginia Community Development Corporation (VCDC)
Read Bio
Laura Dupuy works at the Virginia Community Development Corporation (VCDC), a non-profit equity firm investing in affordable housing, historic preservation and community development projects throughout Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. For the past seven years, Dupuy has managed the activities of VCDC’s lending affiliate, Virginia Community Development Fund (VCDF), a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Community Development Entity (CDE) eligible to apply for and deploy New Market Tax Credits. She participates in the VCDC Development team, working to provide services in real estate development financing to projects and developers, many of whom are eligible to receive tax credits from programs such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Historic Preservation Tax Credits, and New Market Tax Credits.
Ms. Dupuy is the former executive director of the Lynchburg Neighborhood Development Foundation (LNDF), a non-profit housing finance and development organization serving the needs of low-income residents of Central Virginia. During her tenure, she financed more than 300 first-time homebuyers, developed 100 affordable rental units, and renovated a former car dealership into three community health center clinics.
Ms. Dupuy is an attorney, previously with the Virginia Legal Aid Society, and has been engaged in housing and poverty advocacy throughout the state for more than 37 years. She has served on several non-profit boards and statewide organizations and is currently serving as a Commissioner of the Lynchburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Ms. Dupuy is a graduate of New York University and George Mason University Law School and is a member of the Virginia State Bar. She has a daughter, Dessi, who is an award-winning athlete and professional football player in Sweden.
Brent Jenkins
Senior Commercial Banking Executive
Freedom First Federal Credit Union
Read Bio
Brent is the Senior Commercial Banking Executive for Freedom First Federal Credit Union. Brent has worked in banking for the last 18 years between the Roanoke and Lynchburg markets and has helped grow FFCU to over $275MM in assets in the Lynchburg market in just over 3 years. Brent graduated from Liberty in 2007 with a degree in Business Finance and again in 2010 with an MBA specializing in Leadership.
Summit Agenda
View Agenda
8:30 am - Registration, Continental Breakfast, and Networking
9:00 am - Welcome and Introductions | Chris Thompson, Director of Strategic Housing, Virginia Housing
9:15 am - Housing 101 & Housing Study Analysis | Jonathan Knopf, Executive Director for Programs, HousingForward VA
10:00 am - Economic Trends in our Region | Ryan Price, Chief Economist, Virginia Realtors
10:30 am - BREAK
10:45 am - Panel for Developers
- Edwin Gaskin, Echelon Resources, Inc.
- Ron Blackwood, LG Flint
- Tracey Ballagh, Rush Homes
- Daryl Calfee, Penny Lane Properties
- Facilitator: Sarah Quarantotto, Executive Director, Miraim's House
11:15 am - How to Streamline Housing Permitting | Emily Hamilton, Mercatus Center at George Mason University
11:45 am - Housing is Economic Development | Jarrod Elwell, Community Development Regional Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
12:15 pm - LUNCH and NETWORKING
- During lunch, we will present Development Opportunities and Acknowledgements of Area Project Successes
1:15 pm - Panel for Solutions
- Bryan Phipps, CEO/President, People Incorporated of VA
- Terrick Moyer, Director of Operations, Lighthouse Beloved Community CLT
- Shelby Carney, Special Projects Director, Partnership for Housing Affordability
- Facilitator - Michael Craig, Housing Finance Analyst, PD&R
1:45 pm - BREAK
2:00 pm - Panel for Funding Resources
- Chris Thompson, Director of Strategic Housing, Virginia Housing
- Stephen Versen, Deputy Director, Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission
- Tory McGowan, Real Estate Program Manager/IRF, DHCD
- Courtney Mailey, Virginia Main Street Program Manager, DHCD
- Laura Dupuy, Loan Fund Director of VCDF
- Brent Jenkins, Market Executive & Senior Commercial Banking Executive, Freedom First Credit Union
- Facilitator - Jarrod Elwell, Community Development Regional Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
3:00 pm - CLOSING/Call to Action
- Possibility of Networking Social at Downtown Brewery
Presentations
Housing 101 & Housing Study Analysis | Jonathan Knopf, Executive Director for Programs, HousingForward VA
Download Presentation
Economic Trends in our Region | Ryan Price, Chief Economist, Virginia Realtors
Download Presentation
How to Streamline Housing Permitting | Emily Hamilton, Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Download Presentation
Housing is Economic Development | Jarrod Elwell, Community Development Regional Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Download Presentation
Solutions | Shelby Carney, Special Projects Director, Partnership for Housing Affordability
Download Presentation
Funding Resources
Tory McGowan, Real Estate Program Manager/IRF, DHCD - Download Presentation
Laura Dupuy, Loan Fund Director of VCDF - Download Presentation
Central Virginia Planning District Regional Housing Study
Award Acknowledgement Video