The Charlottesville City Council convened Monday for its first regular meeting since a March 30 affordable housing rally took place outside City Hall. At the meeting, residents and University students packed the chamber, calling on the Council to amend the zoning code to further incentivize affordable housing and limit private luxury apartments marketed to students to certain sections of the City.
The rally March 30 was organized by the Charlottesville Low-Income Housing Coalition — a coalition of residents and “community based organizations” working to stop displacement in Charlottesville and support affordable housing. Rallygoers advocated a zoning text amendment — an amendment to the City’s zoning code that alters regulations — which would limit these student housing projects to areas closer to Grounds where there are already large collections of students, such as Jefferson Park Avenue. Also at the protest were members of the Charlottesville Public Housing Association of Residents and the Legal Aid Justice Center — which partners with Virginia clients to advocate “racial, social and economic justice.”
The CLIHC is part of a growing number of advocates and residents that argue the development of luxury student housing projects gentrifies their communities — attracting wealthy residents who drive up the cost of living and force low-income families to move away. Residents are also concerned that two private apartment projects marketed towards students — an 11-story tall proposal by LV Collective near Westhaven and a seven-story proposal in Fifeville known as “The Mark” will both contribute to this displacement and block residents’ sunlight…