Housing & Neighborhood Plan
Existing Conditions and Trends
The Housing and Neighborhood Plan section of the Comprehensive Plan presents existing conditions and trends relating to housing and neighborhoods. Related information is also included concerning housing age, condition, value, and overall affordability. Chartered in 1963, Virginia Beach has evolved over the past five decades into the most populated city in Virginia. The area north of the Green Line is largely built out and has a general suburban character. It also includes the Resort Area and Town Center. The Resort Area is a major east coast vacation destination. Town Center, located in the middle of the City, has become an urban center for work, living, culture, shopping and dining. Dwellings in the southern and rural area of the City consist of both typical farm houses and about 2,200 rural residential dwellings, some of which are located in relatively compact neighborhood settings.
The percentage of single family detached homes in the City remained near 60 percent for many years. However, this has decreased by two percent with a corresponding increase in multifamily housing units since 1996. While this is relatively small on a percentage basis, it does reflect a movement toward more compact development. Compact development is consistent with the City’s comprehensive planning strategy that seeks to reduce sprawl, protect valued natural resources and optimize efficient use of existing infrastructure.
Vision for Housing and Neighborhoods
The Vision for Housing and Neighborhoods is that Virginia Beach will be a city with vibrant, well-maintained neighborhoods where all residents have the opportunity to obtain desirable, safe and affordable housing and enjoy a high quality of life. The City’s Housing and Neighborhood Plan includes a description of a neighborhood’s fundamental characteristics and an outline of relevant issues and policies for this important component of the City’s physical, economic and social environment. Housing and neighborhoods are intertwined. Good neighborhoods exist and thrive in the context of quality housing and the civic pride of the residents. More