Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
Leadership Transition at Virginia Office of Broadband
Chandler Vaughan is stepping into the role of Acting Director of the Office of Broadband now that Dr. Tamarah Holmes has become Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. In this new role, Vaughan will take over daily management tasks and external stakeholder engagement while providing strategic direction for the Office. Vaughan is well prepared for this role. He previously served as the Associate Director in the Office of Broadband, which is implementing Virginia’s $1.48 billion allocation of federal funds from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program.
Governor Glenn Youngkin Publishes Plan for Virginia to Complete Broadband Access
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Virginia has published a proposal to complete the Commonwealth’s goal of providing high-speed internet connections to all homes, businesses, and community centers. The Department of Housing and Community Development published the Commonwealth’s Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment Final Proposal, which, once approved, will award $613 million in federal funding to connect the last 133,500 Virginia locations not yet covered by high-speed internet services. The grants for broadband installation, administered by DHCD, will be submitted to the U.S.
Virginia Office of Broadband Policy Notice on Benefit of the Bargain Round
On June 6, 2025, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration published the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Restructuring Policy Notice. This Policy Notice outlined new requirements for states and territories to follow when implementing the BEAD programs. The requirements set forth in this document explicitly override all other guidance documents specifically related to the Virginia BEAD application process for deployment projects. Some areas of change include:
Virginia Broadband Project Rescopes
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has formally received two project rescope requests from the following Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) awardees to rescope their current VATI project area to
Gov Glenn Youngkin Announces More Than $41 Million in Virginia Telecommunication Initiative Grants
Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) announced more than $41 million in grants through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) for 10 broadband construction projects serving 20 localities throughout Virginia. The VATI program provides targeted funding to extend service to areas that are presently unserved by any broadband provider. The goal of VATI is to create strong, competitive communities throughout the Commonwealth by preparing those communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on telecommunications infrastructure.
Commonwealth Connect Releases BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has released the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal Volume 2 for a public comment window.