Virginia
Continued lack of affordable housing hinders pride, security among Virginians • Virginia Mercury
Frank Hruska, executive director of Habitat for Humanity for South Hampton Roads, faces persistent problems trying to build modest homes for low- and middle-income families. Inflation has boosted the cost of housing construction. Plus, vacant, usable land has become more expensive over the years.
“We are in a perfect storm right now,” Hruska told me.
I interviewed him after his Habitat chapter announced it was postponing the application process because it hadn’t been able to acquire land for the 2025-26 building season. Applications had been scheduled to open May 1.
He said vacant lots in his region were selling for $30,000 to $35,000 in 2018. Yet they averaged $75,000 last year, Hruska said, even though the lots were about the same size and sat in school divisions with the same reputation for quality.
Hruska’s challenge isn’t unique. Other Habitat affiliates in Virginia have also postponed the application process, some for the first time in decades. Studies and statements by the General Assembly’s watchdog agency, the federal government and others speak of the longstanding problem to secure affordable housing, especially by Americans who aren’t rich.
“Land prices increased 60% from 2012-2019, and the cost of homes more than doubled from 1998 to 2021,” reported the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Just last week, The Washington Post reported the D.C. metropolitan area has fallen way behind in meeting a 2019 goal of building 320,000 units over the next decade to handle that region’s growth. “Fairfax County, the most populous jurisdiction in the region,” The Post said, “is on pace to build only 36 percent of its target.”
One obvious factor: Elected leaders there set the goal before the devastating COVID-19 pandemic occurred and shredded the economy.
Inflation, lack of developable land and the desire by builders to erect expensive houses to recoup their investments are factors in the dearth of affordable housing, both in Virginia and nationwide. Incentives for developers to build multifamily units aren’t always enough to propel construction.
“Even if they decided to be benevolent, to take a modest fee for themselves … their costs to build homes are really high,” said Erica Sims, president of Richmond-based HDAdvisors, a consulting firm specializing in affordable housing.
Builders also want to tap into water and sewer lines to help keep costs low, Sims told me. If developers have to install roads and sewer themselves, they might decline those projects.
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Virginia’s Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission – the aforementioned Assembly watchdog agency – notes what many housing and poverty advocates say: Families are “cost burdened” when they spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing expenses. Such a predicament means it’s difficult for households to pay for other necessities, and it increases the likelihood of eviction.
“Approximately 29 percent of Virginia households (905,000) were housing cost burdened in 2019, and nearly half of these households spent more than 50 percent of their income on housing,” JLARC said in a 2021 report.
That means many families are just one job layoff, medical emergency or major car repair away from losing a roof over their heads. It’s a stressful way to live.
Renting a home can help families avoid the upfront costs of homebuying, JLARC noted, but the commonwealth “has a shortage of at least 200,000 affordable rental units for extremely and very low-income households.”
What are the possible solutions to this lack of affordable housing?
“It requires a heavy investment at the state and federal levels,” Sims said.
“Cities have land, and they should set some aside for affordable housing,” said Hruska. Localities that bar homes on smaller lots, he added, could alter zoning regulations to permit them.
(In August, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced $52 million in affordable and special needs housing loans for dozens of projects.)
Home ownership is important. It tends to make individuals more concerned about their neighborhoods because they have a stake in their success. A home is usually the largest monetary investment a family owns.
“We want working-class families to have the American Dream, and that way we have better neighborhoods and better citizens,” said Hruska, the local Habitat official.
Look no further than Andrew and Linda Layne, who moved into their Chesapeake Habitat home in 2018.
Andrew Layne, 59, didn’t know I was going to drop in last week to his one-story home with three bedrooms, 1½ bathrooms and roughly 1,100 square feet. Yet he was wearing a red T-shirt from the housing nonprofit when I stopped by.
That’s quite an endorsement.
“It’s the first house I’ve ever owned,” he told me.
The house rose on a former vacant lot. A green front lawn now greets visitors. Solar panels adorn the roof.
He and his wife earlier lived in a Virginia Beach townhouse. Layne sought out Habitat after suffering a serious accident while working as a longshoreman in 2012. “I almost died,” he said, adding that he received disability payments.
The Laynes contributed hundreds of hours of “sweat equity” to the organization, including at the site of their home. The city’s redevelopment and housing authority helped fund the construction.
“It makes me a very proud person,” he said, while showing me room-by-room through the home and their cozy backyard.
The family’s pit bull and chocolate husky barked at and sniffed me before deciding I was harmless. They then returned to their usual perches in the living room.
“Habitat is awesome,” said 54-year-old Linda Layne, who recently started a cleaning job at the year-old Rivers Casino in Portsmouth.
The nonprofit’s good works, though, can only go so far to reduce the affordable housing shortage. Roughly 3,700 families have bought homes through Habitat affiliates since the late 1970s, a state Habitat official told me.
Many more Virginians, though, want to experience the same level of belonging expressed by the Laynes.
It’s one of pride in having a home of your own.
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Virginia
Snow expected tonight across DC, Maryland, Virginia: Forecast, totals, winter weather alerts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A quick-moving winter storm will likely bring the first meaningful snowfall of the season to the D.C. region tonight, with slippery travel expected overnight into early Sunday as temperatures stay cold enough for snow to stick.
What we know:
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Washington, D.C., central and northern Maryland and northern Virginia from 8 p.m. tonight through 7 a.m. Sunday.
Forecasts call for:
- 1 to 3 inches of snow for much of the Washington–Baltimore region
- 4 to 5 inches possible in parts of Baltimore County and northeastern Maryland
- A brief period of rain at the start in some spots before quickly changing to snow
Meteorologists say a narrow band of heavier snow could set up late tonight, briefly dropping visibility to less than half a mile and allowing snow to pile up faster.
Snow totals and impacts
Once the precipitation turns fully to snow, travel may become slippery across the region.
Expected snowfall amounts:
- D.C. metro: 1–3 inches
- Montgomery and Prince George’s counties: 1–3 inches
- Howard and Anne Arundel counties: 1–3 inches
- Baltimore region: 2–4 inches, with isolated 5-inch totals
- Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria): 1–3 inches
Temperatures fall into the upper 20s and low 30s, helping the snow accumulate on untreated roads, sidewalks and bridges.
Why this storm matters
This system marks the first snow of the season that will actually stick for the D.C. area. The storm arrives as yet another blast of Arctic air drops into the Mid-Atlantic.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the weakening of the polar vortex is allowing cold air to spill south, setting the stage for any moisture tonight to fall as snow.
What’s next
Snow is expected to taper off by mid to late Sunday morning. A Gale Warning is also in effect for the Chesapeake Bay and tidal Potomac starting Sunday morning, and wind chills near 0°F are possible late Sunday night into Monday.
Residents should monitor local forecasts and plan for slower travel overnight and early Sunday.
The Source: This story is based on forecasts and advisories from the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington and the FOX Forecast Center.
Worshippers assaulted outside of Virginia mosque
A Virginia doctor has been arrested and charged with attacking a Fairfax County mosque as worshipers were leaving prayer. The mosque says it’s the second time the man has attacked the same mosque.
FAIRFAX, Va. – Community members are calling for the man accused of attacking a Muslim community center in Virginia to be charged with hate crimes after he was recently arrested. The mosque says the man has attacked its members multiple times.
Virginia mosque attack
What we know:
The latest attack happened on Nov. 28, at the Dar Al Nur Community Center in Fairfax County. In security footage shared by the mosque, a man can be seen berating a group of women leaving prayer. When they see the man, they run back through the door and threaten to call the police.
The man is then seen swatting at the camera, while shouting, “F—ing Muslims! Get the f— out of here!”
Police arrested Dr. Tony Hsiao shortly after the incident, charging him with assault, trespassing and destruction of property. Hsiao was arrested last year on similar charges.
What they’re saying:
Hsiao has not been charged with a hate crime, and advocates say that’s unacceptable.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called pubically Friday for state and federal officials to charge Hsiao with a hate crime.
“[F]ederal authorities must hold him fully accountable by filing hate crime charges,” CAIR attorney Ahmad Kaki said in a statement. “no one should be able to get away with repeatedly attacking the same house of worship. We must send a message that all faiths are welcome and safe in Fairfax County and throughout our nation.”
The Source: Information in this story is from the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Fairfax County Police Department.
HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) – The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 on Wednesday.
This year’s group of athletes, coaches, administrators, and contributors whose influence spans generations, levels of competitions across the state. This includes one man from Richmond, who has also been named the 2026 Distinguished Virginian.
The Class of 2026 inductees are as follows:
- Bobby Ukrop (Richmond): Robert S. “Bobby” Ukrop has been named the “2026 Distinguished Virginian” presented to an individual with a sports background who is a distinguished citizen of the Commonwealth based on outstanding life accomplishment”. A former basketball player at the University of Richmond, Ukrop has been a transformative community leader, leading initiatives throughout Central Virginia including the founding of Richmond Sports Backers, construction of the Diamond baseball stadium, efforts to “Drown-proof Virginia” learn to swim initiative.
- Grant Hill (Reston): ACC Player of the Year; two-time consensus All American; two-time NCAA Champion; one of the ACC’s 50 Greatest Players; 19-year NBA career – 17,137 points -7-time NBA All-Star- 3-time NBA Sportsmanship Award; Olympic Gold Medalist; member of the College and Naismith Memorial Basketball Halls of Fame. National broadcaster for both NCAA and NBA games. Co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks (NBA) Orlando City SC (MLS), Orlando Pride (NWSL) and the Baltimore Orioles (MLB).
- Marcellus “Boo” Williams (Hampton): Widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential youth basketball coaches in the nation, Williams has helped shape the careers of countless young men’s and women’s players. Walt Disney Wide World of Sports named Williams its 2001 Volunteer of the Year; The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame presented him with its 2013 Human Spirit Award. Williams currently operates his youth basketball programs from the 135,000 sq. ft. Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton.
- Michael Vick (Newport News): The former Virginia Tech standout and NFL quarterback, Vick became one of the most dynamic players of his generation. At Virginia Tech, Vick led the Hokies to the 1999 National Championship game and was a 1st team All-American and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. The #1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft, Vick played in the NFL for 13 seasons, earning 4 Pro Bowl selections and the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. After his retirement, Vick was a commentator for Fox NFL Sunday. He is currently the head coach of the Norfolk State University Spartans.
- Wally Walker (Charlottesville): Often credited with starting the prominence of UVA basketball, Walker led the Cavaliers to their first NCAA tournament berth in 1976 when he was the MVP of the ACC Tournament. Walker was the #5 overall pick of the 1976 NBA draft and played for 8 NBA seasons winning two NBA Championships. Following his playing career, Walker moved to the front office, to become the President of Seattle SuperSonics.
- Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg): One of the most accomplished basketball players in Virginia history. Toliver was the 2009 ACC Player of the Year, a 2-time All-American, NCAA National Champion, 1st round WNBA selection, 2-time WNBA Champion and a 3-time WNBA AllStar. Toliver is currently the associate head coach of the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA.
- Terry Driscoll (Williamsburg): A visionary leader in collegiate athletics, Driscoll served with distinction as the Director of Athletics at William & Mary for 22 years, during which the Tribe won 114 Conference Championships, had 118 teams with 100% graduation rates and oversaw a dramatic increase in funding for new facilities and the College’s endowment. A true “Scholar-Athlete” himself, Driscoll was an Athletic and Academic All-American, the #4 overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft, and a championship professional coach in Europe.
- Roland Lazenby (Wytheville): A former reporter with the Roanoke Times, Lazenby is best known for his award-winning author of over 60 sports books that has vaulted him to the top of his profession. Widely regarded as an “expert or authority” on NBA basketball, several of his most prominent books are “go to” references on Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
- Tony Bennett: Former University of Virginia basketball coach, two-time Naismith Coach of the Year, and national championship coach as long stood among college basketball’s most respected leaders. Over an 18-season head coaching career, including stops at Washington State and the University of Virginia, he compiled a remarkable 433-and-169 overall record. He took over Virginia in 2009 and transformed the Cavaliers into a powerhouse, amassing a 364- 136 record while becoming the programs all-time wins leader. His crowning achievement came in 2019, when his team captured the NCAA national championship- a milestone that delivered Virginia its first ever national title in men’s basketball. Under Bennett’s stewardship, Virginia won six regular season conference titles, two conference championships, and made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.
The 53rd induction events are set for Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel and Spa/Short Pump.
Copyright 2025 WWBT. All rights reserved.
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