Virginia’s New Workforce Housing Investment Program: Opportunity for Rural & Multi-Family Projects

Virginia Housing
Written By Renee Reithel

In October 2025, Glenn Youngkin announced an additional round of funding for Virginia’s Workforce Housing Investment Program. The program commits $75 million over five years, with the potential to catalyze $750 million of investment and deliver up to 5,000 workforce housing units across the Commonwealth.

Read full press release

What makes this program especially relevant for MCAH and our rural-multifamily affordable housing network:

  • While the WHP targets households earning 80-120 % of Area Median Income (AMI), it explicitly allows incomes up to 150 % of AMI in rural areas. Virginia Housing Link

  • The program aligns housing development with economic-development/job-announcement activity, incentivizing proximity to new or expanding businesses. May 2025 Press Release

  • For rural jurisdictions and smaller markets (which often struggle to compete in workforce housing programs dominated by metro areas), WHP offers a new state-capital lever that can be layered with familiar federal tools like USDA Section 515/521 Rural Rental Housing (RD 515/521) or the Low‑Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) model.

Final thoughts & call to action

For developers, owners, housing authorities and nonprofit partners operating in rural Virginia (and by extension the broader Carolinas/VA region), the Virginia Workforce Housing Investment Program represents a compelling state-capital accelerator for projects that marry workforce housing with economic-development/job-creation strategies.

At MCAH, we encourage you to consider early pipeline diligence now—don’t wait until the next job announcement or funds window closes. Align your site readiness, match sources and local economic development partners so you’re in position when application time opens.

Sources & further reading:

Renee Reithel

Renee has 15+ years of experience in the public relations and graphic design fields. It has been said Renee is a little odd—she understands the left- and right-brain sides of the industry. Her blend of skills works for the advantage of Rooted Red Creative as she makes sure everything from the writing to the design to the organizational side of your campaign is handled with care.

https://www.rootedred.com
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