Governor Northam Announces Nearly $12 Million in Funding for 25 Affordable Housing and Homeless Reduction Projects

Funding will support affordable new construction and rehabilitation housing, permanent supportive housing, and rapid re-housing projects

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced nearly $12 million in funding to increase access to affordable housing, reduce homelessness, and provide permanent supportive housing options for Virginians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The funding includes more than $10.7 million in Affordable and Special Needs Housing loans for 12 projects and more than $1.2 million in Homeless Reduction Grants to support 13 projects funded through the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, which assists local and regional efforts to implement affordable housing solutions.

Earlier today, Governor Northam visited Centenary United Methodist Church in Richmond where he joined local leaders administering the Point-in-Time Count, a national census of people experiencing homelessness. This twice-annual survey provides critical data to ensure the Commonwealth strategically deploys and invests state and federal resources to further reduce homelessness. Since 2010, overall homelessness in Virginia has decreased 36.3 percent, and homelessness among families has decreased 45 percent. The Homeless Reduction Grants announced today will support targeted efforts to reduce homelessness, including projects that provide rapid re-housing for individuals experiencing homelessness and permanent supportive housing options.

“Housing is the foundation for building vibrant communities and creating equal access to economic opportunity across our Commonwealth,” said Governor Northam. “Every time I meet with housing service providers and individuals who have overcome homelessness, I am given hope that with the right investments, we can effectively address homelessness, reduce housing instability, and provide more Virginians with safe and affordable living options.”

The Affordable and Special Needs Housing (ASNH) loan projects are focused on creating affordable new construction and rehabilitation housing projects as well as permanent supportive housing options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities or serious mental illness. These 12 funded projects will create or preserve 607 affordable housing units targeting low-income and very low-income Virginians, and leverage over $246 million in additional federal, state, local, and private lending resources.

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) administers the ASNH program and combines state and federal resources to ensure a simplified application process. Funding comes from three primary sources: the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the federal National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), and the Virginia Housing Trust Fund (VHTF).

“Increasing and preserving the number of affordable housing units throughout Virginia and supporting programs to make homelessness rare and nonrecurring are key goals of this administration,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Creating more affordable housing opportunities can transform our communities and the lives of many Virginians.”

The Governor recently announced that his proposed budget invests $63 million in the VHTF, bringing the total amount to $84 million over three years. The VHTF provides financing for housing construction projects that create or preserve affordable housing units, reduce the cost of affordable housing, and increase homeownership. This includes an allocation of an additional $1.3 million in Homeless Reduction Grants that if approved by the General Assembly would support 15 projects providing rapid re-housing and longer-term housing solutions for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.

2019 Fall Affordable and Special Needs Housing Awardees:

Organization

Project Name

Award

Source

Project Location

Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing

Mt. Sterling Senior Apartments

$700,000

VHTF

Loudoun County

Community Havens Inc.

Aging in Place for Individuals with Disabilities

$680,000

PSH

Prince William County

Greater Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity

Piedmont/Montpelier Housing

$520,482

HOME

City of Charlottesville

Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg

Habitat Forest Heights Grove 2020

$300,000

HOME

James City County

Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Spratley House

$800,000

NHTF

City of Newport News

Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Pecan Acres

$500,000

HOME

City of Petersburg

Piedmont Housing Alliance

Friendship Court Apartments Phase I

$2,000,000

VHTF

HOME

NHTF

City of Charlottesville

Second Act Communities

Cypress Landing

$275,000

NHTF

City of Chesapeake

Southside Outreach Group

Poplar Creek

$700,000

VHTF

Halifax County

Virginia Supportive Housing

Cool Lane Apartments

$2,000,000

VHTF

HOME

NHTF

Henrico County

Wesley Housing Development Corporation

The Arden-Building B

$1,600,000

VHTF

HOME

Fairfax County

Wesley Housing Development Corporation

The Cadence

$700,000

 

VHTF

 

Fairfax County

TOTAL:

$10,775,482

 

2019–2020 Homeless Reduction Grant Awardees:

Organization

Project Name

Award

Communities Served

Cornerstones

Rapid Re-Housing Plus

 $100,000

Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church

Council of Community Services

Housing Trust Fund Rapid Re-Housing Project

$35,000

Roanoke, Botetourt, Craig, and Alleghany counties and the cities of Roanoke, Covington, and Salem

ForKids, Inc.

Rapid Re-Housing for Parenting Youth

$100,000

Isle of Wight and Southampton counties, and the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, and Suffolk

Mercy House, Inc.

Mercy House Rapid Re-Housing Program

$100,000

Augusta and Rockingham counties, and the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro

Micah Ecumenical Ministries

Permanent Supportive Housing Program

$51,500

Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties and the city of Fredericksburg

Micah Ecumenical Ministries

Rapid Re-Housing Program

$77,250

Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, and the city of Fredericksburg

Miriam’s House

Community First Rapid Re-Housing

$100,000

Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell counties, and the city of Lynchburg

Pathway Homes

Permanent Supportive Housing – Stabilization

$100,000

Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church

People, Inc. Foothills

Re-Housing Foothills Housing Network Housing Trust Fund

$100,000

Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock counties

Samaritan House, Inc.

SHI Housing Trust Fund Homeless Reduction Grant 2020

$100,000

City of Virginia Beach

Shelter House

Shelter House Rapid Re-Housing 2020

$100,000

Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church

St. Joseph’s Villa

Continuation of the Petersburg High School Housing Stability Pilot Program

$180,000

City of Petersburg

Virginia Supportive Housing – Gosnold and Church

2020 Gosnold and Church Street Station – Norfolk

$100,000

City of Norfolk

TOTAL:

$1,243,750

 

2019–2020 Homeless Reduction Grant Letter of Intent Awardees:

Organization

Project Name

Award

Communities Served

Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, Inc. (A-SPAN)

The A-SPAN Supportive Housing Project

$75,000

Arlington County

Bay Aging

Northern Neck Middle Peninsula Housing Coalition – Bay Aging Rapid Re-Housing

$50,000

Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties

City of Chesapeake

Homeless Youth Rapid Re-Housing Project

$100,000

City of Chesapeake

Commonwealth Catholic Charities

Affordable Housing for Chronically Homeless Youth

$95,000

City of Richmond

Commonwealth Catholic Charities

Norfolk SVHC Housing Trust Fund

$100,000

Isle of Wight and Southampton counties and the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, and Suffolk

Doorways for Women and Families

Doorways Housing Trust Fund

$40,000

Arlington County

HomeAgain

Single Individuals and Seniors Rapid Re-Housing Initiative

$94,390

Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, and Powhatan counties and the city of Richmond

LGBT Life Center

VB Youth Stabilization

$100,000

City of Virginia Beach

New Hope Housing, Inc.

Alexandria Housing First Apartments Program

$66,950

City of Alexandria

New Hope Housing, Inc.

Arlington County Permanent Supportive Housing Program

$100,000

Arlington County

St. Joseph’s Villa

St. Joseph’s Villa Housing Trust Fund

$100,000

Dinwiddie, Greensville, Prince George, Surry, and Sussex counties, and the cities of Colonial Heights, Petersburg, Emporia, and Hopewell

Virginia Supportive Housing

New Clay and South Richmond Studios – Richmond

$100,000

City of Richmond

Virginia Supportive Housing

South Bay Apartments – Portsmouth

$55,000

City of Portsmouth

Virginia Supportive Housing

Cloverleaf and Crescent Square – Virginia Beach

$100,000

City of Virginia Beach

YWCA

YWCA Rapid Re-Housing Expansion

$99,910

Cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk

TOTAL:

$1,276, 250

 

VHTF – Virginia Housing Trust Fund
HOME – HOME Investment Partnerships Program
NHTF – National Housing Trust Fund
PSH – Permanent Supportive Housing State Funds