VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach is considering a plan to provide housing to J-1 Visa students. In February, the city's planning committee voted to allow those students to live in dormitory-style housing if they work in Virginia Beach.
The company Sunsation Reality wants to transform the store's second floor, Sunsations, into temporary dormitory-style housing for J-1 Visa students.
"I think it's very important to provide J-1 housing that's safe and welcoming to all these international students that are coming here to learn hospitality," said Dee Nachnani, the owner of Coastal Edge and President of the Atlantic Avenue Association.
Nachnani has owned his store for more than 30 years. Throughout those years, he said he has hired J-1 Visa students. However, he said it is challenging for students to find adequate housing.
"Finding them housing that's affordable, that's welcoming, that's safe, that's secure."
The city said the proposal for dormitory housing includes 11 rooms, up to 86 beds, plus common areas for cooking and sanitation. The city's planning committee collectively passed the plan on February 14.
"Since COVID, it has really been a giant push; the city and the stakeholders are looking to find some kind of way to work it out luckily this is a private entity that chooses to do it all on its own. So it's really a win-win for everybody," said Michael Mauch, the owner of Harvest and the At-large Planning Commissioner.
Mauch said as the hospitality industry grows in the area, providing housing for J-1 students would fill the job gap and regulate housing.
"Sometimes they get abused in how much they pay. So this would be more of a regulated, transparent housing option that they would be able to have," said Mauch.
Mauch said if the plan is approved, students could move into the dormitory-style housing this summer.
The city council will vote on the plan on March 19.