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By Jordan-Ashley Walker

51�鱨վ’s Strome College of Business, in collaboration with Dollar Bank, last week served as a catalyst for discussion and problem-solving during a Workforce Housing Summit, designed to address this critical need facing Hampton Roads.

The summit, held at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, united thought leaders and industry experts who discussed the challenges in expanding access to workforce housing and strategized opportunities for creative, actionable solutions.

“Solving problems is a key part of our mission at the Strome College of Business,” said Kenneth Kahn, Strome College dean. “Working together with community partners, including Dollar Bank, allows us to leverage diverse perspectives and resources to make our region a better place to live and work.”

Workforce housing, an often-misunderstood term, generally means housing for middle-income earners, to include professions such as some healthcare workers, military members, engineers and teachers. With housing prices continuing to rise in Hampton Roads, driven in part due to a limited supply and sustained demand, these professionals are being priced out of the regions in which they work.

Other summit attendees included representatives from the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, Hampton Roads Realtors Association, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Lawson Companies and Virginia Housing.

Potential strategies and solutions discussed included innovative partnerships between the public, private and non-profit sectors; streamlining regulatory processes; and creative financing opportunities.

“This is just the beginning,” said James Hinton Jr., vice president for community development at Dollar Bank. “We want to bring more people to the table as we continue these critical conversations. Let’s work together and take this to the finish line. Working together, we can find solutions. This is an opportunity to help individuals and families in Hampton Roads.”