To help promote an informed citizenry, The Roanoke Star asked the three candidates running to be Roanoke City’s next mayor the following question.
What do you believe are the 3 biggest challenges now facing Roanoke City, and what do you plan to do to remedy these challenges, if you win?
Today’s interview is with Joe Cobb (D). Bowers is a current member of City Council and vice mayor. His answers are below.
Economic Growth and Vibrancy:
Roanoke is on the cusp of a transformative economic renaissance. With significant investments pouring into our economy, the city is poised to become a regional hub for innovation, healthcare, and sustainable growth. As we witness the launch of key projects such as Carilion’s new Crystal Spring Tower featuring a state-of-the-art Cardiac Center and expanded emergency room, our community is embracing a future driven by health and technology.
The establishment of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the VT/Carilion School of Medicine (which will double its size in the next few years) underscores our commitment to fostering a highly skilled workforce in the medical field. Coupled with the new Johnson and Johnson Wetlab, these initiatives not only enhance our healthcare capabilities but also create a robust environment for research and development. This synergy between education and healthcare is vital for attracting talent and investment, ensuring that Roanoke remains competitive in an increasingly knowledge-driven economy.
The economic impact of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Corridor cannot be overstated. Organizations like VERGE and the Roanoke Blacksburg Technology Council are pivotal in nurturing small businesses and fostering innovation. The RAMP cohort exemplifies this spirit, providing startups with the resources they need to thrive. The growth of our manufacturing sector (including a $7.5m grant from the Virginia Business Ready Sites program to develop 82 acres at Blue Hills Drive and a City Council approved match to this grant with an additional $2.5m), alongside a burgeoning arts and culture tourism industry—evidenced by GO Fest’s impressive $2 million economic impact this year—demonstrates that Roanoke is not just surviving but thriving.
We’re seeing growth in our small business community throughout the city, and our economic development team is expanding our reach and our impact through local façade grants, a new small business equipment grant, and efforts to sustain small business growth through every stage of business development.
On City Council, we made the decision to invest $10 million toward Riverdale’s $60 million development project in Southeast Roanoke to address a strategic need to revitalize underdeveloped areas. This investment, along with another $10 million allocated for the new Market at Melrose grocery store in what was previously a food desert in Northwest Roanoke, highlights our commitment to equitable growth. These projects will not only create jobs but also provide essential services to underserved communities, making Roanoke a more attractive place to live.
As we look ahead, it is crucial that we maintain this momentum. I am committed to supporting these initiatives and am thrilled to see our local economic development offices collaborating on projects like Woodhaven Technology Park and a dedicated retail study for the Roanoke Valley. This cooperative approach will prepare us for broader regional market opportunities and ensure that we harness the full potential of our community’s resources. Our regional airport is also in need of investment and I’m supporting leaders in our region to secure investment to secure a longer runway and other infrastructure upgrades.
Roanoke stands at a pivotal moment in its economic development journey. With strategic investments in healthcare, education, small business support, and community revitalization, we are not just building infrastructure; we are cultivating a vibrant economic ecosystem where people can live, work, and play.
Housing:
Housing is a major issue, and our housing deficit holds back economic development. Anyone who makes Roanoke their home should have access to a range of housing opportunities with multiple levels of affordability. Our $2.5 million investment in a new Housing Trust Fund to support affordable housing efforts is already making an impact through the newly developed Belmont Lofts (formerly the Belmont Baptist Church in SE Roanoke) providing 34 units, with 14 of these units at 60% of AMI (Average Median Income) with supportive services being provided by Blue Ridge Behavioral Health and Commonwealth Catholic Charities. This will provide immediate housing for persons experiencing homelessness.
In addition to the Housing Trust Fund, our Land Bank is currently rehabilitating or creating 20 new homes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Restoration Housing. One of Restoration Housing’s efforts, Trinity Commons, will provide 15 new affordable housing units for senior adults in the newly renovated Trinity United Methodist Church building. I will continue to advocate through the General Assembly to raise the threshold of transferable tax sale properties into our City’s Land Bank from $75,000 to $100,000 and will also advocate to pass HB802 which gives local governments the authority to seek an injunction against a landlord with proven building code violations and ask for damages. This kind of authority would be a critical resource for Roanoke to incentivize absentee landlords to either improve their properties or to sell. I will work with our community partners to add more affordable housing inventory to our market and reduce our housing deficit.
Reducing Gun Violence, Drug Use and Homelessness:
I am committed to our ongoing comprehensive efforts in addressing and reducing the effects of our trifecta of social and public health challenges: gun violence, substance misuse (opioids/fentanyl) and homelessness. As we continue to fully activate and expand our comprehensive community-based responses to these issues, we will continue to see progress.
Progress in 2024 reveals that gun violence-related homicides are down 67% this year, and injuries down 53%. We have increased police starting pay, which is bringing in double-digit enrollment into the Police Academy, and efforts to expand community policing, including downtown patrol, are making the community safer. While we are housing more people experiencing homelessness (250 already this year), we are still struggling to reduce the number of persons experiencing homelessness and the continued challenges related to encampments and mental health services. The city will be receiving applications for opioid abatement authority funding this fall, with distribution of funds in the Spring of 2025, which will allow us time to have a more active ground game to address this growing epidemic, including local harm reduction efforts which are reducing the number of overdose deaths. As we build out this comprehensive action plan, with measureable outcomes, we will continue to see a significant reduction in each of these areas in the short-term and long-term.