Public and private sector leaders convene to discuss barriers, strategies, and funding opportunities to increase housing access across the region.
Lynchburg, VA — On Tuesday, June 25, the Central Virginia Planning District Commission (CVPDC) and Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance (LRBA) hosted the inaugural Central Virginia Regional Housing Summit, bringing together more than 100 local government leaders, housing advocates, developers, lenders, and nonprofit partners to address one of the region’s most pressing challenges—housing availability and affordability.
Held in Lynchburg, the daylong event focused on equipping localities and stakeholders with the tools, data, and connections needed to meet housing demand across the region, including Appomattox, Altavista, Bedford, Campbell County, and Lynchburg City.
“I'd like to say that the CVPDC housing summit was a huge success. There is a great need for housing that's affordable in our region. With the tools we have learned at the housing summit. Our region can work towards making the dream of home ownership and affordable rent a reality," said Reggie Bennett, CVPDC chair.
Chris Thompson, Director of Strategic Housing at Virginia Housing, the Summit's Premier Sponsor, opened the summit with a call for collaboration and innovation. From there, all conversation was pointed and focused on exploring solutions for the housing crisis in our area.
Highlights from the summit included:
- A Housing 101 and market analysis presentation by Jonathan Knopf of HousingForward VA, who outlined key regional data points from a recent housing study.
- A deep dive into economic trends impacting housing from Ryan Price, Chief Economist at Virginia Realtors.
- A developer panel moderated by Sarah Quarantotto (Miriam’s House), featuring local and regional developers who discussed the practical barriers to building more housing, including land availability, zoning challenges, and rising costs.
- Policy insights from Dr. Emily Hamilton of George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, who shared ways local governments can streamline permitting processes to encourage housing development.
“Housing is not just a social issue—it’s an economic imperative. The Regional Housing Summit demonstrated that when business, government, and community leaders come together with shared purpose, we can create actionable solutions that support growth, talent attraction, and prosperity across the Lynchburg metro. At the Alliance, we’re committed to championing housing as a key driver of economic competitiveness and regional vitality," said Megan Lucas, CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer of Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance.
The afternoon featured two interactive panels: one highlighting housing solutions from organizations such as People Incorporated, Lighthouse Beloved Community CLT, and the Partnership for Housing Affordability; and one focused on funding resources available to support housing projects across Central Virginia. Panelists included representatives from Virginia Housing, DHCD, the Virginia Main Street Program, and Freedom First Credit Union.
“Housing Central Virginia’s workforce is the emerging economic issue of the decade. The CVPDC was honored and humbled that community and industry leaders contributed a day of their valuable time to unpack housing barriers and explore solutions. Three mayors, a delegate, several statewide experts, and dozens of local professionals who help produce homes in Central Virginia made new connections and gained new ideas,” said Alec Brebner, CVPDC Executive Director.
The CVPDC looks forward to continuing to engage the public and key decision-makers to continue bringing housing affordability to the Central Virginia region. Full presentations and discussion from the Summit can be found on the CVPDC website at www.cvpdc.org/housing-summit.
The Central Virginia Planning District Commission works to provide services for member localities within the 10 Central Virginia jurisdictions, identifying and developing opportunities for coordination among the region's local governments. These opportunities include matters of regional significance and liaising with statewide and federal partners. Learn more at https://www.cvpdc.org.
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