No county for old men...or working class
Good morning! With apologies to Cormac McCarthy, we look at why the Historic Triangle is too expensive for some seniors and working class families...Early voting starts Friday for November election.
Barbara Watson, social services director for James City County, says the fastest growing group of people she serves are seniors who can no longer afford to live in the county.
The service workers the county relies on for its tourism and retail services are also struggling to keep up -- more than 4,000 families spend more than 35% of their income on rent, according to county figures.
Williamsburg and York County face similar issues.
A survey of York County residents released this month found 70% thought housing was no longer affordable in the county. A 2021 workforce study by the city of Williamsburg concluded one third of city households were spending too much on their housing.
“We have seniors who were long-term residents here. They don't make a lot of money, they’re living on Social Security and they’re struggling with the cost of housing and food and utilities and medicine,” Watson told us. “Their homes are in disrepair because they can't afford to keep them up. But they also can't afford to go anywhere else.”
At the other end of the spectrum are people who work two to three low-paying service jobs and can’t afford surging rent prices or childcare, she said.
James City County data showed the average rent for a 2-bedroom home or apartment was above $1,300 a month in 2024.
The median sales price for a home in James City surged 74% from January 2016 to June 2025, to $485,000, according to the Virginia Association of Realtors. Williamsburg home prices increased 64% to $377,000 in the same time frame, while York County’s increased 75% to $477,500, the Realtors’ monthly survey showed.
Real estate taxes have shot up along with rising home assessments. James City County’s average tax bill has increased 21% over the past two years.
Housing affordability is not a new issue for the Historic Triangle, even before the post-Covid surge in mortgage rates and construction costs.
The area has seen a surge of growth from people attracted to its natural and cultural attractions, good schools and low crime rates. Those same residents want to protect the semi-rural character of the area, making home construction more difficult and costly.
“It’s a supply and demand” issue, said G. Stephen Roane, Jr., the supervisor representing York County’s 4th district.
James City County organized a task force on workforce housing that worked from 2017 to 2019 studying the problems, evaluating the causes and proposing solutions. Six years later, many of those recommendations have not been implemented.
The task force, comprising volunteer citizens from a variety of backgrounds, said more than 8,000 households – a quarter of the county -- were spending too much for housing in 2017, warning the county cannot be a diverse community “if our community is segregated by income, race or other factors.”
Task force members also warned that lack of affordable housing will hurt the county’s economy because it will become increasingly difficult for businesses to attract the workforce it needs, including service workers, teachers and police.
Because many of the people who work here don’t live here – only about 10% of Williamsburg workers live there, the city estimated – they are placing extra burdens on highways from their daily commutes.
More than 17,000 people were commuting to James City County from other areas in 2017, the task force found.
In our next installment, we will explore how local opposition to development drives home costs.
Save the date — upcoming candidate forums
Williamsburg Watch and our news partners at WHRO will host two candidate forums next month so you can hear directly from the people who want your vote.
Our forum with the candidates for James City County board of supervisors and for county seats on the Williamsburg-James City County school board takes place Oct. 8. One week later we will interview candidates for the House of Delegates, on Oct. 15.
Both forums will run from 6 p.m. until 7:30 – we will soon post a link where you can reserve a seat to attend at no charge. You will have a chance to submit questions in writing for our panel to pose to the candidates.
Early voting starts Friday
Early Voting for the November general election begins this Friday.
James City County residents may vote in person weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. through Oct. 31 at the office of elections, 4095 Ironbound Road. In person early voting also takes place two Saturdays – Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 – from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Williamsburg residents may vote in person from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays until Oct. 31 at the municipal building, 401 Lafayette Street. Voting also takes place on two Saturdays – Oct. 25 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
York County residents can vote at two locations, 5322 George Washington Memorial Highway, and 6614 Mooretown Rd., Suite A, from 8:30 a.m.to 5 p.m. weekdays and on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 from 9 a.m.t0 5 p.m. Voters may also drop off absentee ballots at those sites.
Voters can request an absentee ballot until Oct. 24 at the state department of elections website.
JCC road closing next week for I-64 work
Construction will close Six Mount Zion Road in James City County at I-64 through spring of next year starting as early as next week, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced.
The closing impacts the section between Mount Laurel Road and the intersection of La Grange Parkway for bridge widening. During the closure, signed detours will be in place directing motorists to Barhamsville Road (Route 30) via either Fieldstone Parkway or La Grange Parkway.
No ramps on or off I-64 will be impacted by this closure, VDOT said.
The work is part of the last section of the widening of I-64, which VDOT said could be complete by late 2027.
Government meetings this week
James City County
Sept. 16: Economic Development Authority, 4 p.m., 101 Mounts Bay Rd., Bldg D conference room.
Sept. 17: Development Review Committee, 4 p.m., 101 Mounts Bay Rd. Building A large conference room.
Williamsburg-James City County School Board
Sept. 16: Regular Meeting. 6:30 p.m., Berkeley Middle School Auditorium, 1118 Ironbound Rd.
Williamsburg
Sept. 17: Williamsburg Area Arts Commission, 3 p.m., 412 N. Boundary St., Room 127
Sept. 17: Williamsburg Planning Commission, 3:30 p.m., 412 N. Boundary St.
York County School Board
Sept. 16: Special closed-door meeting to discuss appointment of an interim superintendent.
Regional and state headlines
Va.’s chief schools superintendent advises leaders to investigate teachers for Kirk comments
Virginia, other states can now tap into $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund
Passings
Richard Carrington Heath, 93, Sept. 12.
Bruce "Henry" Alonzo Taylor, 70, Sept. 10.
Robert Scott “Bob” Beale, 91, Sept. 11.
James Thomas Killilea, 88, Sept. 11.