Henrico could see affordable housing plan near Chamberlayne

HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) - Affordable housing is an ongoing nationwide problem, and it continues to be felt right here at home.

“COVID put the microscope on some of the housing challenges we have. You didn’t that avid flow in the rental market. Supply right now is very limited,” Henrico County Director of Community Revitalization Eric Leabough said.

In an effort to help ease the burden, private developers are now proposing affordable housing in the northern part of the county.

Ashley Terrace Realty LLC filed a rezoning request called the Chamberlayne Road project, which would consists of nearly 200 residential housing units.

The housing would be placed just north of Chamberlayne Road and Brook Hill Circle.

Developers are proposing a multi-family affordable housing community that would include residential housing, an office, amenities, clubhouse, as well as a field of solar panels.

According to the request, the plan would be no more than 186 residential units, or 22.69 units per acre.

Leabough says this comes at a time when many people are struggling to find a place to live. He says recent research shows the region is short 30,000 units.

“Everyone’s impacted. It could be kids who are just graduating from college, it could be seniors, it could even be people that work here for the county, or that work for some of our major employers here in the region,” Leabough said.

Leabough says Henrico and other localities received a combined $11 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding that will be used to help meet the dire need. Leabough says Henrico received $3.2 million out of that pot.

“We’re working with the city and Chesterfield to deploy, to help people who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness, and other qualifying populations, help them get access to housing options or other temporary options,” he said.

It’s an ongoing effort that Leabough says won’t have a permanent solution any time soon.

“We’re taking action. We’re trying to get folks in the community to get housing. We don’t have a crystal ball,” Leabough said.

The Henrico Planning Commission is scheduled to meet with developers on Thursday, March 9.

The Henrico Board of Supervisors will then vote to approve or deny the proposal.

Click here for more Henrico affordable housing resources or call (804) 501-4757 to speak with a Henrico Community Revitalization Specialists.

Copyright 2023 WWBT. All rights reserved.