Highland EDA Receives Draft of Housing Study for Input

The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission presented the first draft of a housing study report for Highland County to the Highland Economic Development Authority for review.

Input for this initial draft will be a topic of discussion during the December 18th meeting. 

The EDA shared the draft with other entities within the community for input as well, this included county supervisors and the Monterey Town Council.  With the holidays affecting several monthly meetings, input is being collected through online means where possible.

After being awarded a grant in the spring of 2022, The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, or CSPDC, has been working with Highland, as well as other rural communities, to study housing gaps. In Highland, they have held several focus groups to ask for feedback and guidance from local stakeholders. 

The crux of the report focuses on the issues of short-term rental housing, including AirBNB and VRBO listings, as well as roadblocks faced by developers who might be interested in the area. 

The  benefit of working with a larger organization such as the CSPDC gives Highland stakeholders the ability to see solutions and outcomes incorporated by other municipalities. This could lead to creative solutions for Highland, as a benefit to information sharing. 

Allegheny Mountain Radio News will continue to report on this developing story, as all involved have cautioned that it will take time to sort through options and needs to solidify a plan for housing in the future.