The City of Danville will host the third annual Southern Virginia Regional Housing Summit, on October 24, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, 150 Slayton Avenue, Danville, from 8:30am – 3:30pm. 

The summit will aim to spark new residential housing in the region, including Halifax, Henry, Patrick and Pittsylvania County and Danville and Martinsville city. Developers, builders, contractors, home renovators, financial institution representatives, architects, and community advocates are encouraged to attend. 

This full-day event will feature presentations on local, state, and federal funding options, a panel showcasing examples of housing projects currently underway, and an exhibit hall. In addition, participating localities will provide information about single- and multi-family development opportunities throughout the Southern Virginia region. 

“The Southern Virginia Regional Housing Summit has introduced new residential development in Danville, which is helping the City address its housing demand,” said Susan McCulloch, City of Danville, Division Director of Housing and Development. “We are excited to work with our regional partners to share our stories and opportunities for an exciting day of collaboration.”

“Our area has been blessed with expanding job opportunities from both new and existing businesses. However, the increased level of jobs and workers has created a shortage of workforce housing. Developers have stepped up and are building new housing, but we need more,” stated Delegate Danny Marshall. “The Southern Virginia Regional Housing Summit offers information and collaboration opportunities to help us move forward. I serve on the Tobacco Commission and we have a new housing incentive program to share this year: Economic Development Workforce Housing Incentive Pilot Program – Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (revitalizeva.org) “ 

Greta Harris, Better Housing Coalition President and CEO, will be this year’s keynote speaker. Harris leads Richmond, VA’s largest nonprofit development corporation, and is a thought-leader in the corporate fields of real estate development, finance, and management. Harris’s dedication to transforming communities through affordable, high-quality housing has been a driving force throughout decades of service. 

“As communities compete for business and talent investments, those who integrate housing into their broader development strategies are finding greater success in yielding inclusive economic growth and overall quality of life improvements,” said Harris.

Anna Mitchell, Senior Program Manager of the International City/County Management Association, and Ryan Price, Chief Economist for Virginia Association of Realtors, will also deliver presentations. 

“The City of Danville’s Southern Virginia Regional Housing Summit has been a pivotal event for three consecutive years, addressing the region’s housing needs and driving significant growth and development,” said Southern Virginia Regional Alliance Executive Director, Linda Green. “In response to rising housing costs and a shortage of affordable housing across income levels, the summit has fostered a collaborative approach that encompasses infrastructure development, and key partnerships with developers, contractors and financial institutions. This regional effort has created a foundation for long term economic growth, ensuring the area can meet both current and future housing demands. The initiative highlights the power of regional collaboration in tackling widespread challenges, offering a sustainable model for economic development and community resilience through housing modernization.” 

Last year’s event was supported by 31 sponsors, with over 200 community partners in attendance. The event highlighted housing needs, current projects, and successful developments, including: 

• Eight townhomes from the Monument Berryman Project have been developed, with a total of 34 townhomes and 60 market-rate apartments planned. 
• Located between American Legion Boulevard and East Franklin Turnpike, The View at Franklin will feature over 200 apartments, divided among ten buildings; the first five buildings are in development. 
• The T.B. Fitzgerald Apartments, formerly the historic Coin Ops building, was recently renovated into 22 apartments. 

Registration closes October 15. For more information and to register, visit https://www.discoverdanville.com/southern-virginia-regional-housing-summit-copy/. 

Prospective developers and interested citizens can learn more about current housing developments through the City of Danville’s Housing Navigator tool: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/526e957f8b9b441fab1120a62c918849