Since launching our place-based work at the end of 2024, Locus has shown up across the region and engaged a diverse set of stakeholders. After more than 120 individual meetings and 80 cross-sector convenings, a focus has emerged: strengthening regional housing collaboration. Through our ongoing conversations with Economic Development Authorities, municipal leaders, developers, lenders, philanthropy, and workforce stakeholders, housing is increasingly being positioned as foundational economic infrastructure. There is recognition that the region’s economic resurgence depends, in part, on the ability to provide housing of all types.
Locus’ sustained presence on the ground has strengthened trust, increased alignment between jurisdictions, and connected Locus more directly to the key decision makers driving industrial growth and community revitalization across Martinsville, Danville, and the broader region. It has enabled us to be “at the table” to help shape regional housing discussions informed by our 20-year history as an affordable housing lender. And, when called upon, we’ve provided leadership to build momentum, including through the newly created Southern Virginia Regional Housing Action Group.
Our engagement with community stakeholders has also identified promising opportunities to strengthen the regional housing ecosystem by focusing on homegrown development capacity. We are actively exploring partnerships to provide technical support, pre-development grants, and targeted lending products to enable locally rooted developers to build capacity so that they can build housing, starting small and growing intentionally. We strive to launch a pilot effort in Southern Virginia that could serve as a model for other rural regions across the Commonwealth.
Our housing advocacy efforts also extended to the Virginia General Assembly through participation in a coalition convened by the Virginia Funders Network, elevating Southern Virginia’s place-based housing work alongside foundation partners and reinforcing the importance of rural housing investment at the state level.
Collectively, this work reflects a shift from fragmented housing conversations to coordinated regional action, positioning Southern Virginia for long-term, collaborative housing development aligned with economic growth. We are excited to be part of these collaborative efforts and look forward to identifying new ways that Locus’ capital tools can be part of the solution to housing and other development opportunities that lie ahead.