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Lynchburg homeowners to benefit from VUL grant

Lynchburg's Seminary Hill is beginning to see the benefit of a $600,000 grant the Virginia University of Lynchburg received last year. The grant came from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is to be used to revitalize the community surrounding the university.

Nine homes were selected for rehabilitation with no cost to the owners. Work began in June, when workers demolished a house on Campbell Avenue and replaced it with a modular home.

Projects like this benefit the entire neighborhood. The improved homes make the area more attractive, and can spark an increase in the values of surrounding homes.

Posted on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 7:08pm

Officials hope for "Lynchburg-like success" for Norfolk-Richmond rail line

Thelma Drake, director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, hopes that the Richmond-Norfolk passenger train, slated to start running in three years, will be as successful as the new Lynchburg-Washington service. The Commonwealth Transportation Board has approved $93 million to fund needed track upgrades. "We think it's money well spent," said Drake, "And we think we'll have Lynchburg-like success."

The number of passengers using the Amtrak service launched in October out of Lynchburg has far exceeded expectations, topping its annual ridership goal in just six months.

Increased transportation options between metropolitan areas benefit homeowners by making commuting and recreational travel easier and more pleasant. Prospective homebuyers take such options into consideration, and homes close to transportation hubs may see a bump in value as a result.

New home construction slowly reviving in Lynchburg

While it isn't as strong as it was before the recession, new home construction in Lynchburg is starting to rebuild, aided in part by the recently expired homebuyer's tax credit. Nationally, new construction dropped off when the tax credit ended in May, but Lynchburg builders say they have not seen a significant decline.

Buidling permits tell the story: 63 building permits for new residential construction were issued for the Lynchburg area in April, down from 66 in April 2009. In May: 79 permits for new residential construction were issued, compared to only 62 in May 2009.

Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - 8:46pm

Lynchburg-Boston train a success

The new passenger train running between Lynchburg and Boston is on track to exceed officials' goal of 51,000 riders for the year, and could exceed annual revenue estimates by $260,000.

The train runs between the two cities every day, with stops twice daily in Manassas.

Homeowners in small cities and nearby suburban areas benefit from convenient travel options to larger metropolitan areas. Such options make area properties attractive to commuters.

Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 12:25am

Lynchburg passes city budget

The city of Lynchburg has passed a $373 million budget that includes no new real estate taxes. Budget shortfalls caused by state cuts were made up with cuts to most city departments and the elimination of 65 positions, most of which are currently vacant. Cuts to vital services, including the police and fire departments, were avoided.

The budget maintains current funding levels for the schools and public bus system. It also contains $1 million to renovate the roof and gym of Heritage High School.

Homeowners benefit from low real estate taxes, provided they are balanced with sufficiently funded schools and emergency services.

Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 11:16am

Lynchburg chamber seeks help with Charlottesville bypass

The Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce and state Sen. Steve Newman are seeking help from the governor and attorney general to solve “a 20-year impasse on the proposed Charlottesville bypass of U.S. 29.”

Charlottesvile was to have acquired right-of-way and planned a bypass for the highway, and accepted $50 million in state funds to do so.

Albemarle County continues to route U.S. 29 through a commercial strip with about 20 traffic lights.

Homeowners, especially commuters, would benefit from a less congested highway with fewer delays.

Read more in the Lynchburg News & Advance....

Posted on Monday, May 10, 2010 - 6:00pm

Lynchburg-area officials seek citizen support for water cleanup

MapTech Inc., Virginia’s Region 2000, the City of Lynchburg, and Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality are working on a plan to clean up local waterways, and they are looking for help from everyday citizens.

The plan will be based on a December 2007 assessment by the Environmental Protection Agency that spelled out the volume of bacteria the James River and six of its tributaries could contain and still be safe for recreation, known as the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL. Studies have shown that the James, as well as Ivy Creek, Fishing Creek, Blackwater Creek, Tomahawk Creek, Burton Creek and Judith Creek contain bacteria levels higher that the TMDL.

Organizers are forming working groups comprised of citizens and officials. The groups will study particular problems in depth, and propose solutions.

Homeowners -- and their property values -- benefit from clean waterways. Not only is clean drinking water a necessity, but sparkling waterways are a great recreational resource that draws prospective buyers.

Posted on Friday, May 7, 2010 - 12:29am

Verizon seeking lower property assessments

verizon Verizon is challenging the assessed value of its property in Virginia. If the move is successful, the telecommunications giant would pay about $500,000 less in taxes in the Lynchburg region.

If its property assessments are lowered, the company will ask for refunds on its 2009 property taxes. A public hearing on the matter will be held in March 2011.

Losing such a significant source of tax revenue would force localities to make up the difference by cutting services or raising money in other areas. Homeowners could see higher taxes and fees as a result.

Read more in the Lynchburgh News & Advance....

Posted on Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 10:32am

Lynchburg City Council deciding how to spend $1.5 million reserve

Money freed up by a lower-than-expected school budget and the shift of landfill-related debt to another fund has left the Lynchburg City Council with the happy task of allocating 1.5 million unexpected general fund dollars.

Suggested uses for the money include preserving jobs, keeping the libraries open full time, continuing in-house management of a Parks & Recreation neighborhood center, increasing funds to the regional jail, and restoring $50,000 previously cut from the city’s marketing budget.

Read more from The Lynchburg News & Advance....

Posted on Monday, April 19, 2010 - 12:09pm

With good schools and low taxes on their minds, Virginia's counties and cities are balancing budgets

Schools across the commonwealth are trimming their budgets where they can, even as they plead with county and city boards to provide more funds. Local government officials are left with the difficult task of balancing the needs of the schools -- and other departments -- with the urgent call to keep taxes low during the economic downturn.