Harrisonburg comprehensive housing assessment and market study moves forward

The City of Harrisonburg has hired consultant firm Mullin & Lonergan Associates, Inc., as the city and its partners move forward on the Comprehensive Housing Assessment and Market Study.

A kick-off meeting was held on last week for the study, which will consist of collecting and analyzing housing data to assess the overall health of the city’s housing stock and market conditions.

The study includes collecting and analyzing data on the following topics: demographics; economic conditions; homeownership market; rental housing market; students and student housing; housing with supportive services; current programs, organizations, and projects; trends and needs; financial gaps; and barriers.

The project will also include recommendations based on nationwide best practices to address the housing concerns identified in the city.

Among other specifics, the project will provide an analysis of affordability for homeownership and renting throughout all population segments of the city, detail current and trending demographics and housing stock, project future demands for housing, and analyze barriers preventing the market from effectively responding to the housing demand.

City officials hope the study will go a long way toward giving a better understanding of the local housing market, as well as providing recommendations for improving the market for all current and future Harrisonburg residents. A key tenet of the Harrisonburg City Council’s Vision & Priorities plan is Available Housing For All, and the development of a comprehensive housing plan.

“We are very eager to dig into the data and research and to see what recommendations and steps we can take to make a positive impact for our community,” Harrisonburg Director of Community Development Adam Fletcher, who is leading the project, said. “We hope to get stakeholders and key organizations involved in this discussion and then to present major findings of the data and research at a public meeting in the fall.”

He added that “it is exciting to be moving in the direction to help meet the needs and affordability of housing for everyone that makes or wants Harrisonburg to be their home.”

The city hopes to complete the project around Jan. 31, 2021.