Housing - The Roanoke Rambler

Roanoke Ends Single-Family-Only Zoning in Bid for More Housing, Diversity

Roanoke joins cities in Virginia and across the country that are rolling back single-family-only zoning in favor of more dense housing.

City Council is expected to vote Monday on reforms staff say is aimed at increasing housing and decreasing racial and economic inequities.

Effort to end single-family-only zoning is meant to spur more housing, decrease inequities, city officials say.

The housing authority’s ownership of the steep-sloped woods traces back to urban renewal.

Roanoke officials heralded progress with the city's land bank and the creation of a $2 million affordable housing fund.

Officials hope a change to the program run by the nonprofit Total Action for Progress will get more abandoned homes restored.

The city’s housing authority hopes to construct an initial 86-unit complex in Northwest Roanoke.

Even with the record government investment, officials acknowledge it can only go so far to address Roanoke's affordable housing needs.

“So your recommendation is, essentially, ‘Do this as quickly as you can,’” the commission's chairman told a consultant.