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Housing Virginia Connections
March 2017
Help Us Take the Pulse of Affordable Housing in Virginia

How are YOU feeling about affordable housing in your city, county, or town? Housing Virginia wants to take a snapshot of what people on the ground are seeing, thinking, and feeling about housing affordability in their own communities.
 
We've developed a very short and simple survey to test the waters of housing affordability in Virginia with several very broad questions. We want to know how members of the affordable housing industry perceive the shifting challenge of affordable housing.
 
Let us know how you feel your community is faring - please take TWO MINUTES to help us "take the pulse" of affordable housing in Virginia: click here to take the survey.

We'll share the results in our next newsletter.

Next Steps for Housing Virginia's Rural Housing Initiative
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In November of last year, Housing Virginia released "Meeting Housing Needs in Rural Virginia: Trends, Needs, Gaps, and Solutions," a report created in partnership with USDA-Rural Development, BB&T, and VCDC. This report analyzed data on housing conditions, demographics, changing economies, and real estate markets in rural areas across the state.
 
Now, Housing Virginia is moving into the second phase of this initiative, which will focus on direct action to address the needs and gaps.



Virginia General Assembly: State Housing Policy Wrap-Up
 
This year, nearly 150 housing advocates from around the Commonwealth made the Virginia Housing Alliance's State Housing Day the largest yet. 

Now that Virginia's General Assembly has adjourned for 2017, here is a breakdown of the bills and budget provisions supported by VHA and its advocates.  

HINT, there's good news if you...  Read More

Save the Date: VHA Federal Housing Day on 3/28

The Virginia Housing Alliance has announced their annual Federal Housing Day, which will be held with the Virginia Association of Housing and Community Development Officials (VAHCDO) for the first time.
 
In preparation for this year's Federal Housing Day, VHA has compiled a list of resources to track and help shape federal housing policy in the new administration. 

If you would like to join VHA and VAHCDO in Washington on Tuesday, March 28th, click here to register


If you want to sign up for action alerts and housing policy news, join VHA's mailing list.
What's New with Virginia's Community Land Trusts
 
There are currently two operating Community Land Trusts in Virginia, with a third on the way. The Thomas Jefferson CLT sold its first home in Charlottesville 5 years ago. The Maggie Walker CLT is beginning operations this year in Richmond, and the Huntington CLT is just forming in Newport News. 

A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to develop and maintain permanently affordable homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income households in their communities.
 
The CLT model varies by organization, but the basic principles remain the same. A CLT has the mission to create and maintain permanently affordable homeownership opportunities in a community. It does this by retaining the ownership of the land beneath houses, leasing it to the homeowners at a nominal cost. CLTs make sure that homes stay affordable, are well-maintained, and are resold to income-qualified buyers.

Charlottesville: The Thomas Jefferson CLT Receives $100,000 Matching Grant for Fund Development


Richmond: The Maggie Walker CLT Obtains 501(c)(3) Status, Hires Community Engagement Specialist


Newport News: Community Seeks to Establish the Huntington CLT


Introducing the Manufactured Home Community Coalition of Virginia (MHCCV)

Last November, over 100 people attended a symposium on the future of mobile home parks in Virginia. Organized by the Manufactured Home Community Coalition of Virginia (MHCCV), the event featured research on the status of more than 50 parks across the Richmond region, presentations from national leaders in the manufactured housing field, and panels that included park residents and nonprofit providers. 

Christie Marra, MHCCV Board Chair, noted that "many biases and misperceptions exist regarding mobile home parks and manufactured housing generally. When done right, this type of housing can be an important part of the affordable housing spectrum".
HPAC Multi-University Study Continues to Make Progress
 

At the 2016 GHC, the coalition of universities that are conducting a study measuring the economic impact of Virginia's housing industry presented an update on their findings. You may recall that last year the preliminary findings showed that Virginia's housing industry generated $47.8 billion in economic activity ($21.8 billion in direct output) in 2015, making it the sixth largest private sector industry in Virginia by direct output.
 
"The economic impact study showcases Virginia's housing industry as an economic driver that generates thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity, making it a central component of our economic strategy," said Governor McAuliffe. "Housing is a key indicator of any community's vitality, and we will continue to develop strong housing policies as we build a new Virginia economy."
 
Some of the new findings focus in on the availability of housing for the Commonwealth's workforce.


Virginia Accessible Housing Solutions (VAHS) Working to Connect Home Accessibility Resources to Those in Need
 
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With the aging population, Virginia faces a significant gap in the current stock of affordable, accessible homes and a population who will need it in the next ten years. Virginia Accessible Housing Solutions (VAHS), a statewide nonprofit that administers the EasyLiving Home certification program for newly constructed accessible homes, aims to expand Virginia's stock of accessible homes by providing a comprehensive, one-stop resource for home accessibility.
 
VAHS began work on these tools, which will be incorporated into a new website that is in development, late last year upon receiving a three-year capacity building grant from the Virginia Housing Development Authority.


Save the Date: Upcoming Housing Events in Virginia
 

May 22-23: Virginia Governor's Conference on Aging (Roanoke, VA)
 
Last year, the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services and the Office of the Governor called for the first Virginia Governor's Conference on Aging since 2003. The tradition will continue this year at the Hotel Roanoke with yet another two-day event around aging and accessibility in Virginia. Registration will open in March, so stay tuned for updates!
 
Website: www.vgcoa.com
Conference rate: $200 (2 days); $150 (1 day)
Room block rate: $104 (single); $124 (double)
 
June 15: VHA Annual Awards Luncheon (Richmond, VA)
 
This year will be the 30th Annual Awards Luncheon with keynote speaker Dian Yentel (President and CEO, National Low Income Housing Coalition), so make sure you don't miss it! This annual event brings together professionals from across the state to celebrate accomplishments, share challenges, and be inspired to action. The Virginia Housing Alliance uses this opportunity to honor their colleagues with the Game Changer Award, induction into the Top 40 Network, and recognition in the Housing Hall of Fame. Click here for more information and for table sponsorships. Individual tickets will go on sale May 15th.
 
August 16-17: VHA Housing Virginia's Most Vulnerable Conference (Midlothian, VA)
 
This conference, hosted by the Virginia Housing Alliance and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, is a great opportunity for front-line staff of homeless service providers as well as management to come together for information on the latest trends and best practices in homeless services. Stay tuned for registration information at www.vahousingalliance.org.
 
September 26-27: VHA Housing Credit Conference (Richmond, VA)
 
The annual VHA Housing Credit Conference is the premier opportunity in Virginia for tax credit professionals to stay up to date on the latest industry trends and connect with others in the field. There will be engaging and informative sessions for practitioners of all experience levels as well as valuable networking opportunities. This year, the conference will move to the Omni Richmond Hotel, right in the heart of downtown Richmond City. Stay tuned for registration information at www.vahousingalliance.org.
 
November 15-17: Virginia Governor's Housing Conference (Norfolk, VA)
 
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development has announced the dates for the 2017 GHC. This year, the annual conference will be held at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. The GHC is Virginia's largest housing event and is packed full of educational sessions led by experts in housing, finance, and community development. Participants also benefit from amazing networking opportunities with colleagues from across the Commonwealth. Stay tuned for registration and sponsorship information at www.vaghc.com.

In This Issue
Calendar
 
VHA's Federal Housing Day
March 28, 2017
The day will begin with a joint meeting with staff from both Senator Kaine and Warner's offices with the full group and then we will split into teams to visit all 11 Congressional offices in the afternoon. We will be coordinating travel options for members around the state.

NCRC Annual Conference
March 28-30 in Washington, DC
NCRC's Annual Conference is one of the nation's largest gatherings of community nonprofits, policymakers, government officials, small businesses, banks, and academia, all coming together to create a just economy.

Universal Design Today Conference
May 15-17 in Charleston, WV
Join Us in Charleston, WV, as we welcome hundreds of the nation's most dynamic designers and users of places, spaces, and things.  For a week in May 2017, the local community will transform into a design laboratory, in which intense focus will be on the economic and social benefits of design that supports the potential, productivity, and needs of every 21st century resident, family, customer, student, client, or citizen. 

VA Governor's Conference on Aging
May 22-23 in Roanoke, VA
Building on the momentum from 2016, the Virginia GCoA will be held at the Hotel Roanoke this coming May. Stay tuned for more information!

VHA Annual Awards Luncheon
June 15 in Richmond, VA
This year will be the 30th Annual Awards Luncheon with keynote speaker Dian Yentel (President and CEO, National Low Income Housing Coalition), so make sure you don't miss it!

Housing Virginia's Most Vulnerable Conference
August 16-17 in Midlothian, VA
This conference, hosted by the Virginia Housing Alliance and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, is a great opportunity for front-line staff of homeless service providers as well as management to come together for information on the latest trends and best practices in homeless services.

VHA Housing Credit Conference
Sept. 26-27 in Richmond, VA
The annual VHA Housing Credit Conference is the premier opportunity in Virginia for tax credit professionals to stay up to date on the latest industry trends and connect with others in the field.

VAGHC 2017
Nov. 15-17 in Norfolk, VA
The GHC is Virginia's largest housing event and is packed full of educational sessions led by experts in housing, finance, and community development. Participants also benefit from amazing networking opportunities with colleagues from across the Commonwealth. Stay tuned for registration and sponsorship information at www.vaghc.com.