Residents, advocates urge council to support Winchester House 2 affordable senior housing

Multiple residents and local advocates used the July 13 public-comment period to urge Winchester City Council to move forward with Winchester House 2, a proposed low-income/affordable housing development intended for seniors and low-income adults.

John Stacy, a nearby resident, said the project's proffers addressing setbacks and sidewalks should mitigate neighborhood impacts and improve pedestrian and traffic safety at Linden and Amherst. David Ray, president of the Shenandoah Fellowship Foundation and a neighbor of the proposed site, described the project as "perfect" given proximity to medical offices, pharmacy and transit and criticized planning delays that he said risk sidelining vulnerable residents.

Several current Winchester House residents and advocates described long waiting lists for subsidized senior housing, low monthly incomes among existing residents, and the social and health benefits of enabling seniors to live near services. Ben Weber of Blue Ridge Care said the PACE program serves nearby residents and that supportive services could help keep seniors independent while saving taxpayer costs.

Other public comments touched on code-enforcement responsiveness, the citizens portal and requests for a standing oversight committee for zoning and code enforcement.

Council thanked speakers for their testimony. No formal action was taken during public comment; councilors later discussed related rezoning and site-plan items in the regular agenda.