Roanoke Rescue Mission Plans 154 Affordable Homes
The mission reports a 13-percent rise in shelter users since July as it partners with Homes for America on new housing.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Employment
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The Roanoke Rescue Mission has seen a 13-percent increase in people using its shelters since July, with about 230 people currently spending the night there. The mission has partnered with Homes for America to build and manage 154 affordable housing units on four acres it owns in Southeast Roanoke.
Why it matters
Housing costs have risen sharply, making affordable places to live harder to find for people in Roanoke and across Southwest Virginia. The project is one local response to growing housing insecurity, shaped by the Hope and Home Task Force that the city formed to brainstorm solutions to homelessness.
The Rescue Mission reports a 13-percent rise in shelter users since July, with roughly 230 people currently sleeping at the facility. The report does not detail how the 154-unit project will be financed or what rent levels it will set.
The players
Roanoke Rescue Mission
A Roanoke-based faith-driven nonprofit that operates emergency shelter and recovery services for people experiencing homelessness in the city.
Homes for America
A housing development partner working with the Rescue Mission to build and manage the planned 154 affordable units.
Lee Clark
The chief executive of the Roanoke Rescue Mission who also serves on the city's Hope and Home Task Force.
The details
The Roanoke Rescue Mission has partnered with Homes for America to build and provide on-site management for 154 units on four acres of land the mission owns in Southeast Roanoke. Lee Clark, the mission's CEO and a member of the Hope and Home Task Force, is among local leaders working on homelessness solutions.
Timeline
Shelter usage at the Roanoke Rescue Mission began rising 13 percent in July 2026.
Construction of the 154 housing units is planned to start in spring 2027.
Economic Context
The project follows the Hope and Home Task Force's effort to brainstorm homelessness solutions in Roanoke, turning that planning into a concrete build of 154 units. It arrives as the mission reports rising shelter demand, a pattern that tracks the rising housing costs cited as a barrier to affordable homes.
For Roanoke residents facing rising rents, the project signals new affordable units planned for Southeast Roanoke, though none will be ready before construction begins in spring 2027. Anyone needing shelter now should contact the Roanoke Rescue Mission directly, since about 230 people are already spending nights there.
The takeaway
Rising shelter use alongside a planned housing build shows how emergency aid and long-term housing supply are being pursued at the same time in Roanoke. Residents watching the issue can track the spring 2027 construction start as the first measurable sign of progress.
What happens next
Construction of the 154 housing units is planned to begin in spring 2027.
Further reading
For more on the local labor and cost-of-living factors behind this story, see Employment coverage for Roanoke.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wdbj7.
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