Affordable Housing is a Top Priority for the City, But How Much Do You Really Know About This Issue?

Is your housing affordable? What does it mean to be housing-cost burdened? How much would you need to earn to afford the median rent for an apartment in Virginia Beach? Does access to housing that is affordable affect you?   

Residents who participated in an opportunity to provide input on the City Council’s priorities for the next two years ranked “affordable housing/housing affordability and homelessness” among the top five. In response to community feedback, City Council has made supporting the creation and maintenance of affordable housing one of the City’s top priorities and included several initiatives to address this issue in the Virginia Beach FY24-25 Focused Action Plan. 

But how much do residents really know about affordable housing and the specific needs in Virginia Beach? 

Housing & Neighborhood Preservation is leading an educational and outreach effort called “Housing Matters” to help increase residents’ understanding of affordable housing and how it impacts our community.  

Test your knowledge on affordable housing by taking a short, five-minute quiz at SpeakUpVB.com through 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 11. Your participation may provide you with new insight on this issue and help shape future educational initiatives.  

As an alternative to completing the quiz online, residents may complete a paper version of the quiz at any Virginia Beach Public Library. They also may request to receive a paper version of the quiz by postal mail to be completed and returned, either by mail or to a Virginia Beach Public Library. To request the paper quiz, please call 757-385-6279. 

After taking the quiz, visit VirginiaBeach.gov/HousingMatters to get answers to frequently asked questions about affordable housing, learn why this issue matters, find other housing resources and more. 

• Take the Quiz

SpeakUpVB.com
Residents are encouraged to create a profile on SpeakUpVB.com. Profiles allow residents to make changes to their responses throughout open survey periods and complete additional SpeakUpVB.com surveys without having to re-enter login information. Also, profiles allow staff to troubleshoot any issues for residents more easily. 

Surveys request residents voluntarily provide demographic information. Staff members analyze this information to ensure that input is coming from all segments of the Virginia Beach population and make adjustments in outreach as needed. Learn more about how the City uses personal information.

Content on the SpeakUpVB.com project page and the survey can be translated via the Google Translate tool available at the top right of the webpage. Those who do not have computer access or who need additional help in accessing the information and completing surveys online are encouraged to visit any Virginia Beach Public Library for assistance.