The Navy could soon invest up to $400 million to provide housing for sailors in Newport News, according to state and local officials who said the investment may hinge upon whether the state approves spending $40 million to kickstart the project.
The Navy has identified up to $400 million that could be used to build a new facility to house sailors, Newport News spokesperson Kim Bracy told the Daily Press. Bracy said to secure this funding, the state would need to provide up to 10% toward the cost share project. She said this investment is “critical to downtown revitalization efforts.”
Del. Marcia S. “Cia” Price, D- Newport News, introduced an amendment to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s two-year-budget proposal that would provide $40 million in state funding “to build infrastructure to house and care for sailors who reside in Newport News when a ship is being built, overhauled, or otherwise in a maintenance shipbuilding facility.”
Price said the investment in housing would allow sailors to not just work in Newport News, but be able to live off of the ships.
“To be stationed somewhere and not really feel like you’re a part of the community, all of that can really wear on people,” Price said. “And in response to that, both the Navy, the city of Newport News, the shipyard and the state are looking to get creative with some of the things that we can do to improve their quality of life.”
The Navy did not return calls…
