What does your zip code have to do with your health? More than most people realize. On a recent episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael talks with with Kim Herbstritt, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Habitat for Humanity, to unpack one of the most pressing — and often invisible — issues facing the Northern Shenandoah Valley: the undeniable link between housing and health. Click here to listen.
A Coalition With a Mission
To understand the conversation, it helps to know who is driving it. The Housing Coalition of the Northern Shenandoah Valley was founded around 2018 through a partnership between United Way NSV and Blue Ridge Habitat for Humanity. Its mission is straightforward but ambitious: mobilize the community to address housing challenges across the full spectrum — from homelessness to workforce housing to market-rate homes.
“Housing is health. Housing is education. Housing is economic impact. Housing is workforce,” Herbstritt tells Janet during the interview. “All of those things end up being connected and matter for our families.”
Each year, the Coalition hosts a housing summit that shines a spotlight on a different facet of the housing crisis. This year marks the eighth annual event — and the theme couldn’t be more timely.
This Year’s Focus: Housing Is Health
The 8th Annual NSV Housing Summit, titled Housing is Health: Integrating Land Use, Public Health, and Housing Policies, takes place on Friday, May 29th at Laurel Ridge Community College. The event runs from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM, is completely free, and is open to the public — though registration is required since breakfast and lunch are provided.
Three expert speakers will take the stage to explore the housing-health connection from different angles:
- Dr. Jenna Krall of George Mason University’s Department of Global and Community Health will present research on environmental exposure, pollution, and their health impacts related to housing conditions.
- Dr. Antwan Jones of George Washington University will examine how housing stability and urban policies influence cardiovascular outcomes and obesity among marginalized communities.
- Maria Daugherty, an expert in zoning policy, will explore the powerful role that land use decisions play in shaping — or limiting — a community’s housing options.
The afternoon will feature a panel discussion with all three speakers, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with the experts.
When a Leaky Roof Becomes a Health Crisis
Beyond the summit’s high-level research, Herbstritt brings the issue close to home by describing the day-to-day reality that Blue Ridge Habitat for Humanity confronts in its home repair program.
Many people associate Habitat for Humanity with building new homes. However, as Janet points out, the organization’s repair work has become equally critical — particularly for seniors and veterans living on fixed incomes who own their homes but cannot afford to maintain them. Habitat currently maintains a waiting list for home repair requests, a sobering indicator of the scale of need.
“A leaking roof that potentially has turned into mold becomes extremely expensive to try and remediate,” Herbstritt explains. For elderly homeowners or disabled veterans, those conditions don’t just create discomfort — they create serious, compounding health risks.
Moreover, the challenges don’t stop with the homeowners themselves. Herbstritt shares a story about a stroke survivor whose wife struggled to help him access medical appointments until Habitat installed a ramp. “It’s not just for the person that needs it,” she says. “It’s for the caregiver, to make their life better.”
The Ripple Effect on the Whole Community
Furthermore, the housing crisis extends well beyond individual families. It reaches into local schools, businesses, and the broader economy. Janet highlights a reality that many in the valley know but rarely connect directly to housing: essential workers — teachers, grocery store clerks, bank tellers — often cannot afford to live in the communities they serve.
As a result, workers commute long distances, spending more money on transportation, arriving to work exhausted, and having less time for healthy meals or family life. “If you’re pressed for time, you’re more likely to go through a drive-through,” Janet notes. “Your mental health isn’t always at its peak.”
Herbstritt adds that families spending 40 to 50 percent of their income on housing have little left over to absorb unexpected expenses — a car breakdown, a medical bill, a home repair — which compounds their vulnerability significantly.
Zoning: The Overlooked Lever
One of the most eye-opening moments in the conversation came during the discussion of zoning. Many residents drive past empty parcels or deteriorating properties and wonder why nothing is being done. The answer, more often than not, lies in local zoning codes — the rules that determine what can be built where.
To that end, Maria Daugherty’s presentation at the summit will address Virginia’s newly completed statewide zoning atlas, which maps zoning designations across the entire state. For policymakers, planning commissioners, and curious residents alike, it promises to be a revealing look at how land use decisions shape — and sometimes constrain — housing solutions.
Looking South: The Shenandoah County Summit
In addition to the May 29th event, a second housing summit is coming to Shenandoah County on Friday, June 5th in Edinburg. Focused on connecting builders, communities, and local lenders, this summit will feature Ryan Price, chief economist from Virginia Realtors, and Mel Jones from the Virginia Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech, among others.
While the Shenandoah County event has a more rural focus, the takeaways are broadly applicable. As Janet puts it, “It doesn’t mean somebody from Winchester or Frederick County can’t go there and glean information they could apply back home.” Both events are free.
A Community Ready to Act
Ultimately, as Herbstritt and Janet make clear, the purpose of the housing summit is not to dwell in despair — it is to build momentum. By bringing researchers, policymakers, nonprofits, builders, and community members into the same room, the Coalition creates the conditions for real, practical change.
“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time,” Janet says. “So let’s talk about the different bites.”
To hear the full conversation — including personal stories, detailed event information, and Kim Herbstritt’s insights on everything from mobile home mold remediation to veterans’ housing — click here to listen to the full episode of The Valley Today.
Housing is Health: Integrating Land Use, Public Health, and Housing Policy: Friday, May 29, 2026 / 8:30 AM – 2:30 PMÂ
Laurel Ridge Community College, Corron Community Development Center, 173 Skirmisher Lane, Middletown, VA – Download the flyer here.
Free to attend, registration is required. Registration deadline – Wednesday, May 20th, 2026. Click here to register.
Shenandoah County Housing Solutions Summit: Friday, June 5, 2026 / 8:00 AM – 1:30 PM
500 Shentel Way, Edinburg, VA – Download the flyer here. Free to attend. Click here to register.
