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Regional commission outlines EV charging, housing, and opioid‑abatement work affecting Roanoke
Summary
Roanoke Valley‑Alleghany Regional Commission executive director Jeremy Holmes briefed council on regional studies and programs including an electric vehicle infrastructure study, a regional affordable‑housing program that will fund 37 units in Roanoke, and work on opioid abatement funding and truck parking.
Jeremy Holmes, executive director of the Roanoke Valley‑Alleghany Regional Commission, gave Roanoke City Council a briefing March 17 on regional projects that affect the city, including an electric‑vehicle infrastructure study, a regional affordable‑housing program, opioid‑abatement coordination and a truck‑parking study.
Holmes said the commission completed an EV infrastructure study that focuses on planning for charging infrastructure and visitor opportunities rather than just corridor fast chargers. "We wanted to look at this from an economic development and visitor perspective," Holmes said, adding the report covers zoning, market considerations and grid readiness.
On housing, Holmes summarized a regional competitive program created with Virginia Housing that will invest $1.4 million to produce 37 affordable units in the city of Roanoke, including Habitat for Humanity single‑family homes and multifamily adaptive reuse projects. "By the time we're done, there will be $1,400,000 invested in 37 units," he said.
Holmes also described the regional commission's role in pre‑application review for projects seeking funds from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority and its work to ensure services such as recovery housing and workforce training are available across the region, not concentrated in Roanoke.
Other projects Holmes mentioned included a regional truck parking study to address safety concerns when drivers exceed hours‑of‑service limits and must park; a pre‑disaster hazard mitigation plan required by FEMA; and an update to a five‑year comprehensive economic development strategy used to pursue federal Economic Development Administration funding.
Council members thanked Holmes and asked for follow‑up details, including publicly available EV charging maps. Holmes offered to provide the VDOT map and other materials to council. The commission said many of the studies will be completed later in 2025 and can inform city planning and grant applications.
