The City of Roanoke actively seeks out collaborations to facilitate city improvements, engage the private sector and empower city residents. One example is the Roanoke Regional Housing Network (RRHN), which includes representatives from a broad range of housing interests including local governments, private and nonprofit developers, business and economic development entities, financial institutions, and neighborhood organizations. The collaboration pursues opportunities for diverse housing throughout the region to support all income levels and population groups, promotes comprehensive initiatives and strategies to enhance equal housing in the region, and facilitates cooperation and communication among housing interests. RRHN activities include hosting an annual housing conference, conducting a comprehensive survey of housing conditions, creating a public directory of housing services for the region, collecting current information on local, state, and federal housing regulations, researching grant and subsidy opportunities, and creating a public newsletter and website to disseminate all the collected information.

Another recent collaboration is the Riverside Centre for Research and Technology, a 75-acre multi-building biotechnology research park, being developed near downtown Roanoke through a joint effort by the city, Carilion Clinic, Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. This public/private partnership will allow the city to revitalize and redevelop the area to diversify Roanoke’s economy, attract additional research facilities, provide jobs and increase the area’s connectivity to the rest of the downtown. Located along the Roanoke River on Jefferson Street and Reserve Avenue, this land has been designated as a redevelopment area. The Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority has purchased some of this acreage for the initial site of the Carilion Biomedical Institute (CBI). Plans call for the construction of a $10 million facility where capital and incubator space will be provided for cutting-edge biotechnology firms. Located between Carilion Community Hospital and Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, this area will also serve as a proving ground for research financed by CBI and conducted on the campuses of Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. It could also provide jobs for approximately 2,500 employees.