Creating a livable, thriving Charlottesville for everyone.

2024 was a milestone year for the issues that Livable Cville has long championed. From the passage of a bold and progressive new zoning code to nurturing important community dialogues and education, strengthening our network with in-person meet-ups, and many, many letters to elected officials, we’re proud of how the advocacy community we’ve built together has rallied around the issues we care about.

Livable Cville is an all-volunteer, grassroots effort. We’re not professional planners, housing developers, or engineers. Just passionate residents who want our community to be more open and welcoming to all. Read on to learn more about successes and developments in 2024, and to all of you who’ve helped make these milestones possible — thank you!

Here are some highlights from last year, summarized by quarter.

January to March

• We started off the new year celebrating the city’s new zoning code, which was passed on December 18th, 2023 and officially started on February 19th, 2024. We dubbed February 19th “Residents Day” in honor of the current and future residents of Charlottesville who will benefit from the new zoning code.

• You can learn more about the zoning code in this article in GG Wash by Wyatt Gordon in which Livable Cville was quoted. 

• Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, the new zoning code has been tied up in legal issues. We offered the following comment to the Daily Progress: “Just as the frivolous lawsuits to prevent the city’s disposal of racist statues and block the Comprehensive Plan failed, we expect ultimately the new zoning code will prevail. The suit is a defense of the status quo by comfortably housed people and will perpetuate our area’s affordable housing crisis if successful.”

• In February we wrote a letter to the editor in the Daily Progress criticizing UVA’s development plans for the Grove Street property in Fifeville. 

• In March, we presented a webinar on Inclusive Transportation with noted author Veronica Davis and a local perspective from Ben Chambers, Transportation Planning Manager for the City of Charlottesville.

April-June

• In April we started holding monthly social gatherings at Ix Brazos. These have been a great opportunity to make new friends, get to know old friends better, and build a stronger Livable Cville community. We continue to hold these the second Thursday of every month from 5-7pm at Ix Brazos. Come rain or shine!

July-September

• The city of Charlottesville has been doing a decarbonization study looking at its natural gas utility. In July, Livable Cville and C3 (Community Climate Collaborative) co-authored a letter posing critical questions for the decarbonization study. And Livable Cville Co-Chair Steven Johnson wrote up a critique of a Decarbonization Study listening session he attended. 

• Over the summer, Charlottesville faced a major affordable housing challenge when the residents of Carlton Mobile Home Park faced displacement after an offer was made on the property by a developer. Thankfully, the situation had a very happy ending when Habitat for Humanity, Piedmont Housing Alliance, and the City of Charlottesville coordinated to purchase Carlton Mobile Home Park with a commitment to redevelop the property without displacing current residents. Much credit is due to the residents, as well as Legal Aid, Sin Barreras, and Charlottesville DSA for the organizing work they did. We had an opportunity to write a Letter to the Editor advocating for the sale to Habitat. 

• One of the more controversial housing topics in Charlottesville is Homestays (aka “Airbnbs”). After extensive research and data collection, in September Livable Cville created an FAQ document designed to improve understanding of this issue and develop recommendations to maximize the beneficial aspects of homestays while also minimizing the problems associated with them.

October-December

• Our Co-Chair Matthew Gillikin spoke with NBC29 about addressing homelessness in Charlottesville. 

• Following the tragic death of Mamawa Simai while crossing in the crosswalk at Elliott Ave. and South 1st St. we called on City Council to prioritize immediate improvements to the intersection where Ms. Simai was killed, and to invest in the staff and budget required to ramp up bike, pedestrian, and ADA improvements throughout the City. We were encouraged that the city has taken this situation seriously and is taking action to improve safety here and elsewhere.