When a major economic development win comes to a rural community, the story rarely ends at the ribbon cutting. Jobs bring workers, workers need homes, and homes require infrastructure — a chain of needs that communities across Virginia’s Southside are now navigating in real time.
Community Housing Partners (CHP) is in the planning stages of a workforce housing development in Halifax County, Virginia, through an initiative that could deliver 136 new homes near the Hitachi Energy manufacturing campus in South Boston. The initiative reflects CHP’s broader commitment to connecting housing strategy with regional economic development and demonstrates how housing developers can serve as essential partners in community growth.
The opportunity grew out of a high-profile economic development project that made headlines last year. In September 2025, Hitachi Energy announced a $457 million expansion of its power transformer manufacturing campus in South Boston, a project that Business Facilities magazine recognized with a Silver Deal of the Year Award and that state officials described as potentially “the deal of a lifetime” for the region. Housing is critical for the expansion that will bring 825 new high-paying jobs projected, with salaries averaging $74,000 per year.
To enable projects like CHP’s partnership with Halifax County, the Commonwealth of Virginia created the Workforce Housing Investment Program, which has already awarded $3.1 million for the South Boston development. The Halifax County Industrial Development Authority is donating 10 acres of land, and CHP was selected to lead the housing component through a mix of rental and for-sale development and has been working with county and state partners ever since.
“This is about more than building apartments,” said Andy Davenport, Vice President of Real Estate Development at CHP. “When housing and economic opportunity move forward together, communities are better positioned for long-term success. Halifax County is thinking strategically about what its workforce will need, and we’re proud to be part of that effort.”
Brian Brown, Executive Director of the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority, added, “The expansion of the Hitachi plant cannot happen without providing quality affordable homes for that workforce, and the combination of housing and economic development will have a tremendous impact on South Boston and Halifax County.”
CHP’s current concept for the South Boston development includes 120 garden-style apartment homes and 16 “twin” homes available for purchase — a mix designed to serve both renters and aspiring homeowners in the area’s growing workforce. Multifamily apartments would be income-restricted at 80–150% of the area median income, placing them in reach of workers in manufacturing and related industries. For-sale homes are projected to be priced between $350,000 and $380,000, all offering three bedrooms. The development would also include community amenities such as a dog park, tot lots, fitness center, flexible workspaces, and community gathering rooms
Davenport presented plans for the development at a Halifax County Board of Supervisors meeting last month. “I’m projecting this to be about a $60 million development, a significant, transformative project in South Boston,” he said in the news coverage about the meeting.
Like many rural development efforts, the Halifax County initiative faces infrastructure hurdles, including limited water and sewer capacity to support development of this scale. If funding can be secured for infrastructure expansion, CHP aims to begin site plan approvals and produce engineering drawings within three to six months, with construction targeted to begin in 2027. This would position the new development to be ready as Hitachi’s facility comes online.
Davenport explained that housing initiatives like the one in Halifax can sometimes be a catalyst for economic development, and employers looking to relocate or expand look for regions with credible workforce housing plans. That dynamic — where housing readiness becomes a competitive advantage for economic development — is one CHP hopes to help other communities and act on as well.
Founded in 1975, Community Housing Partners (CHP) provides quality-built, responsibly managed, service-enriched homes for low-income individuals and families across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Through its mission to create homes and communities that are healthy, sustainable, and affordable, CHP has been a leading advocate of affordable housing development for 50 years. CHP’s activities include real estate development, construction, energy services and training, asset management, property management, realty and homeownership, and comprehensive resident services.