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VAPDC News

A publication of the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions

Issue 15, Fall 2024

header_autumn_leaves.jpg

in this issue

message from the president

in the news

upcoming events/calendar

about vapdc

message from the president


It is hard to believe it is Fall, with the summer-like temperatures we have had in October and the first part of November. But winter is probably not too far behind. We have been busy at VAPDC with planning for our staff training activities and starting to put pieces together for a larger conference event next year. And looking at the calendar below, we know it will be a busy few months ahead!


The VAPDC is continuing to hold training opportunities for PDC staff. The upcoming in-person event next week in Richmond will continue to offer ‘soft skills” training, this time with an in-depth dive into the work of PDCs and engaging exercises focused on meeting facilitation and public speaking. The two-day event gets topped off with a closer look inside the world of artificial intelligence and its uses and implications.


The Board and Executive Directors will have a joint meeting in conjunction with VACo’s Legislative Day in Richmond in late January. While VACo and VML are holding separate advocacy days in 2025, we are glad to remain engaged with both organizations by having a presence at their events to bring greetings from the PDCs to folks in attendance.


The PDCs are part of many meaningful collaborations and a lot of great work….please keep it up!


Best wishes to all for a safe and happy holiday season. 

Dwayne Tuggle

VAPDC President

in the news

Virginia Housing has announced another round of funding to assist PDCs in their affordable housing efforts. The FY26 program will offer an $8 million competitive grant pool (maximum award of $1 million) over a two-year performance period. Applications are expected to be released early in 2025 and be due in March. Additional information and a “how to apply” webinar will be forthcoming. In 2021, Virginia Housing provided each of the 21 PDCs with $1 million to $3 million to assist with developing affordable units. Those dollars are expected to result in about 2,300 units being realized. Thank you, Virginia Housing!


The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) recently completed a public comment period concerning a review of PDC boundaries. DHCD is required by the Code of Virginia to complete such analysis following each US decennial census of population; this review is based on the 2020 Census data. Seven comments were received during the public comment period, the majority of which supported the current boundaries. DHCD also solicits feedback from state agencies, and more than a dozen agencies commented. DHCD plans to submit a report on its review to the General Assembly by the end of the calendar year.


Several of the 2024 VAPDC Awards have been formally presented in recent weeks:


  • The Robert M. deVoursney Best Practices Award was presented at a meeting of the New River Valley Regional Commission to the New River Valley Recovery Ecosystem, which is a five-year collaborative, regional opioid abatement program bringing together five jurisdictions for project delivery.


  • The Gordon Dixon Award was presented to Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC) member Phil North at a September meeting of the Commission. Mr. North is the immediate past chair of RVARC and also is currently serving as chair of the Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization.


  • Finally, just last month at the Governor’s Summit on Rural Prosperity, Dr. Tamarah Holmes was presented with the Robert Baker Achievement Award. She is Director of the Office of Broadband and was recognized for advocating for and facilitating the expansion of broadband Internet to unserved areas of the Commonwealth.

upcoming events/calendar

November 13-15, 2024

November 19-20, 2024

December 13, 2024

January 8, 2025

January 23, 2025

January 30, 2025

Governor’s Housing Conference

VAPDC Staff Training

VAPDC Executive Directors Committee meeting

VAPDC Board of Directors meeting

VACo Local Government Day/VAPDC Board of Directors meeting

VML Local Government Day

Would you like to see your PDC newsletter or job listings on the VAPDC website?

about vapdc


The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) is an organization comprised of the 21 Planning District Commissions/Regional Councils in Virginia. The PDCs joined together to create the VAPDC to share best practices and further regionalism across the State. VAPDC works to bring diverse resources together at the regional level in partnership with local, state, and federal entities to strengthen regions and the Commonwealth.

The purpose of the Association is to promote coordination and cooperation among the Commonwealth's Planning District Commissions/Regional Councils to heighten their effectiveness and efficiency; provide mutual assistance and the exchange of ideas; and otherwise promote understanding for how PDCs/RCs can help save their regions and the Commonwealth time and money. 

 

association contacts



David Blount, VAPDC Executive Director

dblount@tjpdc.org

434-422-4820

Linda Brunick, VAPDC Administrator

VAPDC@AssociationBuilders.com

757-412-2664

thank you to our COMMONWEALTH partner for 2024 - 2025

thank you to our VIRGINIA PARTNERS for 2024 - 2025

become a vapdc newsletter sponsor and see your logo here!

view our partner profiles here

thank you to our GOLD training sponsors 2024

thank you to our SILVER training sponsors 2024

B&B Consultants, Inc.

RiverLink Group

thank you to our WINTER SERIES sponsor 2025

Virginia Tech - Center for Economic and Community Engagement

Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions | Website
869 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 113 #244
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452
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