WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, April 21, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine will tour the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill and host an economic development roundtable to discuss the site and how to best support the regional economy. Then, Kaine will visit the Southwood Mobile Home Park to tour homes and meet with families and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville to discuss their work to redevelop the Park into a mixed income, mixed-use neighborhood without displacing current residents. Kaine will also participate in a Habitat for Humanity volunteer project.

At the Megasite, Kaine will be joined by local leaders including Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones, Danville Councilman Sherman Saunders, Pittsylvania County Supervisor & Board Chair Darrell Dalton, Pittsylvania County Supervisor Robert Tucker, Danville City Manager Ken Larking, and Pittsylvania County Administrator Stuart Turille. The Megasite is a 3,528-acre publicly owned site that’s ready for single or multiple industrial manufacturers. Kaine is a strong proponent of efforts to create jobs and grow Virginia’s economy. Last year, Kaine helped pass the CHIPS and Science Act to create jobs, bring back American manufacturing, lower costs, and tackle supply chain issues. In 2021, Kaine helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has created jobs rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. Kaine has long been an advocate for the preparation, permitting, and marketing of economic development sites in Southern Virginia. He led bipartisan work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help Berry Hill as well as other sites like Commonwealth Crossing in Henry County overcome permitting challenges that were early impediments to their development as competitive sites. In 2013, Kaine introduced, along with Sen. Warner, Rep. Griffith, and former Rep. Robert Hurt, the Commonsense Permitting Act, which would address some of these impediments.

In December, Kaine secured $1,130,000 in the annual government funding bill to support the Piedmont Housing Alliance’s construction of 121 new affordable apartments in Charlottesville, which are part of the first phase of the Southwood Apartment redevelopment project. In the previous government funding bill, Kaine secured $1,015,000 in federal funding to support the Habitat for Humanity’s work on the redevelopment. Kaine has long supported affordable housing and announced $54 million in federal funding to improve affordable housing across the Commonwealth earlier this year.