Quality, affordable housing is a cornerstone of sustainable economic vitality and personal well-being. Yet housing affordability is a critical challenge throughout Virginia—a challenge heightened by the recent recession and continuing economic turmoil. Faced with few affordable options, many people attempt to find less expensive housing by buying or renting farther out, but long commutes often result in higher transportation costs that erase any savings on shelter. Housing prices, therefore, should not be considered in isolation. To build affordable communities, we must address transportation as well as housing costs. And to build strong communities, we must further expand our focus to address the links among jobs, transportation, and affordable housing. Housing costs can make it difficult for people providing critical services to live in the community they serve. Localities need to ensure an adequate supply of workforce housing so that teachers, police, firefighters, and people in a host of other occupations can afford to live in the areas where they work. In addition, jobs in many areas have become more decentralized and increasingly are not located close to existing housing. Other issues make it difficult to build affordable housing near areas where job growth is occurring, such as single use zoning, large minimum lot size requirements, and additional policies in many localities.