Housing Grant Recipient Breaks Ground

On February 5, the CSPDC attended a groundbreaking for the Suter Street Neighborhood Development. The development is led by Central Valley Habitat and PDY LLC, who applied for gap funds through the PDC Housing Development Grant in Spring of 2022 and received an award of $325,000.

Once complete, the development will supply 21 new units of affordable homeownership and rental opportunities in Harrisonburg. PDC Housing Development Grant funds are being used throughout the construction process, and have assisted in covering the costs of engineering & design, site planning, and permitting over the past year.

Homebuyer Readiness Series Offered

The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission and the City of Harrisonburg are partnering with Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP) to offer a series of free Homebuyer Readiness short-courses in the months of February through April.

The courses will provide information on homebuying basics, including what is needed to qualify for a mortgage, how to increase financial readiness and save for a down payment, and budgeting and credit preparedness. Jacob Hodges, a Housing Counselor with SERCAP, will facilitate the series.



Afton Express Offers New Expanded Schedule

Starting February 13, Afton Express riders will have new options for their commutes. The expanded schedule includes a new stop in Charlottesville, expanded access to existing stops, later service, and new options for traveling from Charlottesville back to the Shenandoah Valley.



The new schedule is designed with 12-hour hospital shift workers in mind. Many of these workers are not currently served by the existing schedule, as the bus does not pick up and drop off late enough in the evening for those starting or ending their shifts at 7:00 pm.

2022 Population Estimates Released

The University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service released its official Virginia Population Estimates on January 30, 2023. The estimates provide an accurate approximation of county and independent city populations on July 1, 2022. State and local government agencies use this data for funding allocations, planning, and budgeting purposes.

The CSPDC’s 2022 population estimate is 308,788, roughly 0.5% higher than the 2020 Census estimate, or 1,577 residents. Since the 2020 Census, the cities of Harrisonburg and Waynesboro have experienced the greatest population growth.

Shenandoah Rail Trail Update

The Shenandoah Rail Trail Partnership continues to expand support and secure funding to acquire, design and construct the 48.5-mile trail between the Town of Broadway in Rockingham County and the Town of Front Royal in Warren County. The Partnership recently secured a $3 million congressional earmark for partial design and engineering of the Trail.

In late 2022, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) also allocated $1 million to VDOT to finalize the full scope, schedule and cost estimate to design, engineer, and construct the Trail as the Commonwealth evaluates how it may acquire the out-of-service rail corridor.

CSPDC Marks 20 Years of CERT Training

In 2023, the CSPDC celebrates 20 years of providing the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program in the region.  Since 2003, over 600 people have participated in the CERT Basic Course and currently over 100 people serve as CERT volunteers.  

The current CERT course is the 40^th time that the CSPDC has offered this training. Please contact Rebecca Joyce, Community Program Manager at rebecca@cspdc.org or 540-885-51174 ext. 112 if you would like to register for the training.

CSPDC Recognizes New Commissioners

Amy Darby

Ms. Darby was appointed to the CSPDC Commission to represent the City of Staunton. She is a graduate of Mary Baldwin University and has been employed by the Commonwealth of Virginia for over 25 years helping youth and families. 

Monica Robinson

Ms. Robinson was appointed to the CSPDC Commission to represent the City of Harrisonburg. She is a graduate of James Madison University and Walden University and is Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project.

Kim Sandum

Ms. Sandum was appointed to the CSPDC Commission to represent Rockingham County as their citizen representative. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and is Rockingham County Coordinator and Transportation Lead for the Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley.

CSPDC Hires New Finance Director

Ethan Riley was hired as CSPDC’s Finance Director and started work in January. He received his bachelors from Liberty University in accounting. Previously Ethan worked as a State auditor at the Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts. He currently resides in Fishersville with his wife, son, daughter, and cat. In his free time, Ethan enjoys spending time with family, attending sports events, and going to the beach.