Resident urges council to reject funding request for NRCA ‘212’ eight-unit project over high per-unit cost
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Summary
A Radford resident told the council that New River Community Action’s eight-unit ‘212’ project seeks $2.16 million for phase 1 and shows per-unit and per-square-foot costs far above regional averages; councilors said the funding application appears to be with the state DHCD and they will investigate.
Keith Weltons, a Radford resident, business owner and property owner, used the public‑comment period to press the City Council to reconsider support for New River Community Action’s (NRCA) so‑called “212” project, an eight‑unit conversion at 3rd Avenue. Weltons said NRCA’s Phase 1 request to state sources is $2,155,842 and described the project as “set to be one of, if not the most, expensive per square foot project in the history of Radford.”
Weltons provided a line‑by‑line accounting he said came from NRCA’s application: Phase‑1 work totals $2,958,000; the second‑story eight‑room remodel alone is approximately $2,300,000 (not including property purchase); purchase was listed as a $650,000 taxpayer grant. He calculated an average remodel cost per apartment of about $275,000 and a remodel cost of roughly $538 per square foot, which he compared to other recent awards and statewide averages.
“By contrast, similarly recently awarded projects statewide concluded the average cost for new construction or remodel of affordable options averages $51,500 per finished space,” Weltons said, arguing that Radford’s per‑unit figures were hundreds of thousands of dollars higher and urging the council to reroute or deny funds so Radford taxpayers would not be left to cover an unsustainable project.
Council members and staff responded that, based on initial checks, the funding application in question appears to be to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and “does not have to accept the funds” and “they go directly to community action.” City staff said the city typically is not the routing agency for DHCD grants and that the planning commission and prior council action had addressed the rezoning portion of the project. Council asked staff to investigate three items: whether NRCA owns the building, whether the DHCD award (if made) would route funds through the city or directly to NRCA, and whether any city approvals or matching commitments would be required. The council agreed to report findings at the next meeting.
The council did not take formal action on the project during the meeting and made no binding commitment to the funding request. The city noted planning‑commission and prior council votes had denied rezoning requests for related proposals earlier in 2025; staff said they would follow up with DHCD and NRCA and return with more information.
