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Virginia Beach Update: F-35s, Affordable Housing, and Community Connections
Published 4 months, 1 week ago
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Good morning, this is Virginia Beach Local Pulse for Saturday, December 13, 2025.
We start with a major development for our military community. The Navy is moving ahead with its environmental review on basing F 35C jets at Naval Air Station Oceana, potentially bringing about 70 next generation aircraft to replace current F A 18 squadrons. According to WTKR News 3, our City Council has already gone on record supporting the move, and we now have a 30 day public comment window. This is one of those decisions that could shape jobs, noise patterns over neighborhoods like Great Neck and Red Mill, and long term investment in Oceana, so we will want to stay engaged.
From City Hall, housing is a big focus. The city’s Housing and Neighborhood Preservation department is now taking applications for its Attainable Workforce Housing Performance Grant, aimed at helping create more affordable options for working families. The department reminds us that if we are facing homelessness or a housing crisis, we can go to the Housing Resource Center on North Witchduck Road on weekday mornings for triage and assessment, or call the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline during business hours.
On the jobs and business front, the city’s Department of Economic Development just announced a new international tenant joining its business incubator program, signaling fresh investment and potential white collar jobs in our area’s tech and services sector. That is good news for professionals looking for opportunities close to Town Center and the Oceanfront.
Real estate across Hampton Roads is cooling a bit but staying strong. Virginia Business reports that in November our region saw roughly 1,800 home sales, down about 7 percent from last year, but with inventory up more than 10 percent. The median sale price sits around 370 thousand dollars. That means buyers have a little more choice and time, while sellers are still getting solid prices.
Weather wise, we are looking at a cool, breezy day along Atlantic Avenue and the Oceanfront, with clouds mixed with sun and just a slight chance of a passing shower. Temperatures stay seasonable, and tonight turns colder but calm, making it a decent evening for holiday events.
Speaking of events, we have holiday concerts and light displays lighting up the Boardwalk, plus neighborhood gatherings from Kempsville to Ocean Park. The Ocean Park Civic League just wrapped its December meeting, continuing work on bylaws and local issues, a reminder that our civic groups quietly keep our neighborhoods running.
In schools and sports, several Virginia Beach high school winter teams are now deep into their seasons, with local basketball squads picking up early district wins and swim teams getting ready for regional meets.
For public safety, Virginia Beach Police report the usual mix of weekend calls for service, with no widely reported major incidents overnight. Officers continue to focus on impaired driving along major corridors like Shore Drive and Independence Boulevard, so we plan ahead and drive sober.
Our feel good note today comes from our service community. Local nonprofits working with the Housing Resource Center on Witchduck Road are stepping up holiday outreach, providing warm meals, coats, and support to families who are struggling. It is a reminder that when we come together, we make this big city feel like a small, caring town.
Thank you for tuning in, and please remember to subscribe so you never miss an update. This has been Virginia Beach Local Pulse. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This
We start with a major development for our military community. The Navy is moving ahead with its environmental review on basing F 35C jets at Naval Air Station Oceana, potentially bringing about 70 next generation aircraft to replace current F A 18 squadrons. According to WTKR News 3, our City Council has already gone on record supporting the move, and we now have a 30 day public comment window. This is one of those decisions that could shape jobs, noise patterns over neighborhoods like Great Neck and Red Mill, and long term investment in Oceana, so we will want to stay engaged.
From City Hall, housing is a big focus. The city’s Housing and Neighborhood Preservation department is now taking applications for its Attainable Workforce Housing Performance Grant, aimed at helping create more affordable options for working families. The department reminds us that if we are facing homelessness or a housing crisis, we can go to the Housing Resource Center on North Witchduck Road on weekday mornings for triage and assessment, or call the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline during business hours.
On the jobs and business front, the city’s Department of Economic Development just announced a new international tenant joining its business incubator program, signaling fresh investment and potential white collar jobs in our area’s tech and services sector. That is good news for professionals looking for opportunities close to Town Center and the Oceanfront.
Real estate across Hampton Roads is cooling a bit but staying strong. Virginia Business reports that in November our region saw roughly 1,800 home sales, down about 7 percent from last year, but with inventory up more than 10 percent. The median sale price sits around 370 thousand dollars. That means buyers have a little more choice and time, while sellers are still getting solid prices.
Weather wise, we are looking at a cool, breezy day along Atlantic Avenue and the Oceanfront, with clouds mixed with sun and just a slight chance of a passing shower. Temperatures stay seasonable, and tonight turns colder but calm, making it a decent evening for holiday events.
Speaking of events, we have holiday concerts and light displays lighting up the Boardwalk, plus neighborhood gatherings from Kempsville to Ocean Park. The Ocean Park Civic League just wrapped its December meeting, continuing work on bylaws and local issues, a reminder that our civic groups quietly keep our neighborhoods running.
In schools and sports, several Virginia Beach high school winter teams are now deep into their seasons, with local basketball squads picking up early district wins and swim teams getting ready for regional meets.
For public safety, Virginia Beach Police report the usual mix of weekend calls for service, with no widely reported major incidents overnight. Officers continue to focus on impaired driving along major corridors like Shore Drive and Independence Boulevard, so we plan ahead and drive sober.
Our feel good note today comes from our service community. Local nonprofits working with the Housing Resource Center on Witchduck Road are stepping up holiday outreach, providing warm meals, coats, and support to families who are struggling. It is a reminder that when we come together, we make this big city feel like a small, caring town.
Thank you for tuning in, and please remember to subscribe so you never miss an update. This has been Virginia Beach Local Pulse. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This