Community Questions & Responses

Real questions. Honest answers.

When we say Pete’s campaign is about listening, we mean it.

These are actual questions we’ve received from community members—through social media, events, and everyday conversations (yes, even over bagels).

We’ve grouped them by topic so you can explore the answers that matter to you.

Have a question of your own? Submit it at petemacedo.com.

Just Getting to Know You

Q: I love your bagels—but what is your platform?

A: Great question (and thank you). Pete’s platform centers on four key values:

• Transparent, Informed Decision-Making: Grounded in community input and accountability

• Incremental and Sustainable Growth: Development should fit within Blacksburg's scale, infrastructure, and values

• Proactive Community Engagement: More spaces, events, and policies for our community to thrive together

• True Small Business Support: Local businesses are the backbone of our community’s character and should be treated as partners in the town’s future

Please see the Platform section of the website for more details!

Q: What are the main priorities of Pete’s campaign?

A: Pete’s top two priorities are:

1) Creating a culture of connection between long-term and short-term residents—where everyone feels valued.

2) Using better data and local expertise to make informed decisions on housing, infrastructure, and sustainability.

Housing & Growth

Q: Why did Pete oppose the 801 North Main Street project?

A: That project became a symbol of what’s not working. It displaced small businesses, offered less parking than needed, and didn’t provide the kind of housing most residents are asking for. Pete supports growth—but only when it’s the right kind of growth.

The project proposed by the developers (and subsequently approved by Planning Commission and Town Council): 

• is denser than what is typically allowed,

• is closer to the street than what is typically allowed,

• is taller than what is typically allowed, 

• provides less parking than what is typically required,

• will be built in a flood plain,

• will increase the traffic on already over-saturated roadways, and

• will remove over 35,000 sq ft of commercial space while only putting back 5,000.

In short, the thing this project gives to the town is additional bedrooms. But at what cost? The concerns of surrounding residents and businesses were repeatedly shared with both the developers and local government—and ultimately disregarded.  

Approving this project sends a signal to property owners that they do not need to maintain their property because eventually someone will offer them more money than it is worth. And it sends a message to the university that they do not need to prioritize on-campus housing development. 

Within a week of the building being approved by town council, the developer returned with an amended plan that added 110 additional bedrooms to the design, bringing the total to over 900, when combined with the Winston Street companion project.

One of the biggest problems with how decisions like this get made is that the data used to justify them often comes from those who stand to benefit financially from the development. We need more neutral, community-focused data to truly understand the impacts—on infrastructure, traffic, affordability, and quality of life—before moving forward with projects of this scale.

Q: Does Pete support more student housing?

A: Short answer? Not yet. 

According to data in the Virginia Tech Financial Report (published February 2025), Blacksburg Campus head count has increased less than 1% annually for the last 5 years. All the pre-2020 growth has largely leveled off and the urgency to accommodate a large increased class is not what it once was. In fact, adding more housing has the potential to send a message to the university that the town is willing to make room for more students. It could influence their own decisions to expand campus housing or increase student enrollment targets. 

Before we add more housing of any kind, we need to understand why we are doing it. In some cases, we are losing single-family housing because it is being consumed by the student housing market. But adding targeted student housing doesn’t necessarily mean that those existing homes will become accessible to year-round residents. If more year-round resident housing is our goal, we need to target that specifically. Assuming that it will appear as a side effect of pushing more bedrooms into the town is shortsighted and has already proven to be ineffective. 

Q: What would Pete do to make housing more affordable in Blacksburg?

A: Pete supports establishing incentives for property owners to renovate and improve existing housing stock, through programs that ensure improved homes are made available to lower-income residents. He also supports combining this with a wide-reaching energy-efficient improvement initiative to help reduce long-term costs for all renters and homeowners.

Small Business

Q: What can be done to make local businesses stronger?

A: More than just supporting small business incubation, Pete wants to see full lifecycle support for businesses. Blacksburg has a very seasonal population, which can be incredibly difficult for businesses to weather. Strategic incorporation of programs or local events could bridge customer flow during slower times. Doing so will promote and maintain a diverse commercial experience for visitors, as well as seasonal and year round residents.

Leadership Style

Q: Can you be mayor and run a business?

A: 100%. Pete believes public service should be accessible to working people. His bakery business is part of his connection to the community—it keeps him grounded and in touch with the people he’s serving.

Transparency & Government Access

Q: What does Pete mean by ‘accessible government’?

A: It means council decisions shouldn’t feel like closed-door mysteries. Pete wants to make town decisions clear and available to residents. He supports publishing easy-to-read summaries of council meetings, making town data more available, and providing multiple ways for people to give feedback.

Have a question?

Every voice matters. Pete’s listening.