Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville City Councilor Lloyd Snook joined WINA Morning News to discuss the city’s recent efforts to address affordable housing challenges. Speaking about an affordable housing purchase on Harris Road and 5th Street, Snook detailed the city’s plan to buy three parcels, including a nine-unit and a smaller multi-unit building, that had been providing “naturally occurring affordable housing” without city subsidies. He emphasized that the goal was to prevent these properties from being sold on the market, torn down, and replaced with high-end housing. “If we had allowed that property to just go to the market…13 units worth of affordable housing would be lost to the community,” Snook said. 

Snook also highlighted the city’s collaboration with Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA) on a $379,000 funding initiative to assist residents of the Carlton Road Mobile Home Park. This initiative, part of a broader strategy, subsidizes affordable housing units at an average cost of $50,000 per unit. “We still end up subsidizing affordable housing units to the tune of roughly $50,000 a unit,” he explained, adding that partnerships with organizations like PHA and Habitat for Humanity allow the city to maintain affordable housing at lower costs. 

Snook concluded by stressing the importance of collective efforts in creating affordable housing opportunities, with a focus on preserving community resources amidst rising market pressures. 

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