Growing Together: Roots to Roofs

Join Southside ReLeaf and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on October 9 and 10 for “Growing Together: Roots to Roofs” – a two-day summit that brings together Virginia legislators, environmental leaders, housing advocates, and urban planners to explore how we can build sustainable and vibrant communities that support housing that’s attainable at all income levels while protecting trees and green spaces.

Growing Together: Roots to Roofs Summit graphic showing a photo of a new neighborhood that combines housing with the retention of mature trees. "Summit Details: Wednesday, October 9-10 | Brock Environmental Center

The summit is an invitation-only event, creating a space for authentic discussion, strategy, learning, and connection in a setting that convenes experts from various sectors. This is an opportunity to reimagine community design — where affordable housing and urban greening work together to improve public health, resilience, and equity for all Virginians.

Event Details

Dates

Day 1: Thursday, October 9 | 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Day 2: Friday, October 10 | 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Photo of the Brock Environmental Center from across the Lynnhaven River, where a person in a ball cap rows a canoe on a sunny day.

Location

CBF’s Brock Environmental Center | 3663 Marlin Bay Dr., Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23455

The Challenge

Across Virginia, rising housing costs are burdening and displacing renters, essential workers, and lower-income families. Affordable rental options are scarce, homeownership is increasingly out of reach, and evictions remain highest in Hampton Roads and Richmond, with displacement on the rise in many localities.

At the same time, green spaces, trees, and other natural areas are often viewed as barriers to development rather than essential partners in creating healthy, thriving communities. Trees and green spaces play a crucial role in public health and climate resilience, improving air and water quality, reducing urban heat, managing stormwater, and serving as essential infrastructure alongside utilities, transportation, and public works.

How we build our communities today shapes the health, equity, and well-being of future generations. Land use decisions influence not only housing availability but also access to green space and overall quality of life. 

Housing and trees do not have to be competing interests. The two must be developed in tandem. Both are vital for community development, economic health, and social stability.

Summit Goals

The summit will convene representatives from across the housing, environmental justice, urban forestry, local government, and planning sectors to:

  • Showcase Successful Models: Hear presentations on innovative land use and housing strategies from Virginia and beyond.

  • Co-Create Policy Solutions: Brainstorm regional approaches that balance affordable housing, tree preservation, and green infrastructure.

  • Advance a Unified Vision: Develop actionable recommendations for state and local policies that build affordable, green, and equitable communities.

This is an opportunity to foster alignment among policy influencers and advocates, shaping a future where housing, trees, and people thrive together.

Register for the Summit

There is no registration fee to attend the summit. Both days will include a full breakfast and lunch.

If you have any questions about the summit or have difficulty completing the registration form, please email our Policy Support Specialist, Kami Blatt, at kami@southsidereleaf.org.