(RECAP: For the past decade, most of the discussion on affordable housing needs in Virginia has focused on our cities and suburbs with growing populations and rapidly increasing housing costs. Surrounding these metro areas, but, are rural communities struggling with a unique set of housing challenges. Like the rest of rural America, most of Virginia’s rural regions are no longer growing. Between 2000 and 2010, rural areas accounted for only 6 percent of the state’s population growth. And over the next decade, more than 90 percent of Virginia’s population growth will occur in the “Golden Crescent” that extends from Northern Virginia, through Richmond, and east to Hampton Roads. Considering these trends it is not surprising that rural housing issues have failed to receive the attention they deserve. We need to ensure that the rural housing crisis is not a silent crisis, but is instead one that we make a priority and work together to solve.)

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