Roanoke County is taking a close look at whether it has enough of the right kind of housing for its residents.
Whether you rent or own, the price of housing is rising across the U.S. — to the point where it’s become difficult for folks to afford what they’ve got now, much less consider moving into a new home that may be better suited for them.
Local governments in the Roanoke Valley are taking a closer look at how to relieve that problem. Roanoke city changed its zoning laws last year to encourage different kinds of housing, although council members are revisiting the change. Meanwhile, Roanoke County is in the midst of a housing market analysis that’s likely to result in some policy changes over the coming months.
Kyle Talente is president of RKG Associates, the firm conducting the study. One issue that it’s already identified is that most of the biggest job types in Roanoke County don’t pay enough for people to afford housing…