Cobb highlights housing pipeline: 700 apartments, 195 townhomes and a $2.5M affordable-housing grant

Mayor Cobb described housing as "among the greatest" challenges and said affordability is a top priority, noting that 1 in 4 Roanoke households pays more than 30% of income for housing. He then listed specific developments intended to expand supply: more than 700 new apartments on Orange Avenue, 195 townhomes under construction on Brandon Avenue, and 136 affordable houses planned for the Walker Foundry site supported by a $2,500,000 grant secured by the Economic Development Authority.

The mayor framed those projects as part of a broader push for a housing supply with a range of affordability options and noted continued development downtown and in Riverdale. He did not present a timeline for when all units will be available nor specific occupancy targets beyond the construction counts he cited.