West Piedmont Planning District Commission Announces Partnership with VSCLT

The West Piedmont Planning District Commission, encompassing 4 counties in Southern Virginia, just announced its partnership with Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust as part of its newly launched Regional Housing Development Program. WPPDC’s Regional Housing Development Program will expand affordable housing initiatives for community members who earn low to moderate incomes across the region. Key initiatives of the program include increasing affordable housing inventory, prioritizing housing production for rural and historically marginalized populations with a focus on first-time homebuyers, and strengthening partnerships between government and local housing organizations. The program is in direct response to the housing needs identified in WPPDC’s 2024 comprehensive housing study.

One part of the broader program will be the construction of 13 affordable homes at Villa Heights near Martinsville in Henry County, VA. After construction is completed, and with support from the WPPDC and The Harvest Foundation, those 13 homes will enter into trust under VSCLT’s stewardship. Michelle Winters, CEO of VSCLT, says “this development is an ideal example of how we can help meet a community’s housing needs with strong local partners and a statewide community land trust model.” 

Image courtesy of West Piedmont Planning District Commission

At the Villa Heights development, VSCLT will own the land while the homeowners own the home itself. VSCLT enters into a long-term, renewable ground lease with the homeowners that ensures the home’s future affordability. To learn more about our work, visit our FAQs or view this brief video. 

VSCLT is excited to expand its footprint into Henry County in Southern VA. As families across Virginia find affordable homeownership increasingly out of reach, the CLT model offers a proven, community-based model that allows families the opportunity to build wealth and stability. VSCLT is committed to working with partners and communities to ensure permanently affordable homeownership opportunities for as many as Virginians as possible and this project is an excellent step in that direction. Please see WPPDC’s press release on this project here.