Homeownership is part of the American Dream. However, many Virginia families struggle to find—or keep—affordable housing. This is not just a problem among low-income groups, but is increas ingly a problem for the middle class. Many of our teachers, nurses, police officers, and firefighters cannot afford to live in the communities they serve. Families in all income levels deserve a safe, decent, affordable place to call home in a community that offers quality of life-enhancing opportunities like schools, healthy food, jobs, and transportation. Unfortunately, there is a notable lack of such affordable housing choices around Virginia.

The groundbreaking yesterday afternoon for the Claiborne Square Apartments was about more than the future arrival of a new senior community. It was about revitalization throughout Petersburg. “We expect it to serve as a catalyst to these remaining areas,“ said City Manager David Canada, mentioning development in such neighborhoods as Gillfield and Harding Street.

Richmond plans a public debate over the future of GRTC Transit System’s historic headquarters next to the Fan District, but the role of affordable housing in the project already is an issue. Affordable housing is listed as the goal of Mayor Dwight C. Jones and the mission of the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority in a written proposal for the city to buy the property, which is appraised at up to $5.4 million.

When children enter the big red barn at the Children’s Museum of Richmond on Friday, thanks will go to several donors to the new Little Farm exhibit. Capital grants came from the Robins Foundation ($50,000), the Richard Gwathmey and Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust ($25,000), the Marietta McNeill Morgan and Samuel Tate Morgan, Jr. Foundation ($25,000), the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation ($20,000), the Barbara J. Thalhimer & William B. Thalhimer, Jr. Family Fund of The Community Foundation ($5,000) and the Ruth Camp Campbell Foundation ($2,000).

Call them Willie, Joe and Betty. They were among Richmond’s homeless yesterday, with no ID and just $5 and a bus ticket. In real life, they’re Art Raymond, principal of Moody Middle School; Alex Evans, minister of Second Presbyterian Church; and Cathy Howard, vice provost for community engagement at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Jannie Allen’s North Richmond home buzzed with volunteer activity yesterday. Art Hendrick, 88, helped with yardwork in the front while a group worked in the back repairing wooden steps leading into the residence, which was built in 1946. Hendrick was among the volunteers with the Renew Crew, a division of ElderHomes, making repairs to Allen’s home on East Brookland Park Boulevard.

The executive director of Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity saw something yesterday that gave her great hope for the future of affordable housing in central Virginia: strangers. “Other than a few faces, I recognized no one in the room,“ Leisha LaRiviere said a few minutes after the conclusion of Habitat’s Building on Faith Affordable Housing Summit at First Baptist Church in Richmond. “Usually at these things, we see all the same faces.“

Passengers on six GRTC Transit System buses traveled through Richmond-area neighborhoods yesterday afternoon looking at examples of high-quality, low-cost housing. On the tours were about 120 people learning about types of affordable housing that nonprofit organizations help make available in the city. The passengers were a mix of those wanting to learn about ways to help with various projects and those in need of affordable housing.

Ah, 2003, 2004, 2005. . . those were the days—or so we thought. In the first half of this decade, our nation, state, and region witnessed an unprecedented boom in the housing market. With each passing year, total home sales broke records. Homes sold quickly and fetched top dollar. Great news, if your livelihood was tied to the real estate and development industries, if you were a home seller, or if you were an elected official watching real-estate-related tax revenue pour into the state coffers.

BY JOHN HODGES Hanover County wants to ensure that quality housing is available for working families in particular. In the current housing market, the number of new single-family building permits has been reduced to less than half the number they have been in past years, and the average cost of those new homes being constructed are some of the highest in the metropolitan area.