Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

Governor to address attendees at Creative Economies conference
According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, five of the 15 localities with the greatest increase in tourism expenditures from 2005 to 2006 were in Southwest Virginia along the Crooked Road. Tazewell, Smyth, Russell, Dickenson and the City of Norton posted an 8.9 percent increase in tourism, over the state’s 7.2 percent change.  What happened?  The economy changed.  A new “creative economy” is replacing the manufacturing economy in Southwest Virginia, capitalizing on synergies between music, crafts, agriculture, the arts, and downtown revitalization.

Press release >> PDF

Building Safety Week recognized May 4 - 10
On Monday, May 5, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick O. Gottschalk met with building officials from across the state to mark the beginning of Building Safety Week, recognized May 4 – 10.  Gottschalk presented the group, represented by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association, the Virginia Plumbing and Mechanical Inspectors Association, the Virginia Society of American Institute of Architects, the Apartment and Office Building Association, the Home Builders Association of Virginia, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office with a proclamation signed by Governor Timothy Kaine recognizing Virginia Building Safety Week.   

Press release >> PDF

Virginia named finalist in MacArthur Foundation Housing Initiative
 The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation today selected Virginia to compete for up to $5 million in new funding to support state and local rental housing preservation efforts.  The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), who is the applicant for Virginia, would use the funding to support a comprehensive affordable rental housing preservation initiative. The proposal calls for a partnership between DHCD, Virginia Community Capital (VCC), a statewide nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution, and the Virginia Housing Development Authority, which administers Low Income Housing Tax Credits.

Press release >> PDF

Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Grant Opportunity for Nonprofit Organizations and Local Governments
On Tuesday, April 22, 2008, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development released the Housing Opportunities for Person With AIDS (HOPWA) program application for the 2008-2009 program year. Completed applications must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, 2008.

(HOPWA) Application >> DOC
(HOPWA) Guidelines >> PDF

For further questions, contact Nicole Poulin at: (804) 371-7113 or nicole.poulin@dhcd.virginia.gov.

Self-Help program celebrates completion
On Saturday, April 19, dozens of volunteers, residents, local officials from the Town of Wakefield, Sussex Service Authority and Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) staff gathered to celebrate the completion of the Birch Island Road Community Water and Sewer Project.  Residents of the Birch Island Road community, 70 percent of whom are low- to moderate- income, had additional cause for celebration – they helped construct the new service.

The project was funded through the Self-Help Virginia program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.  Self-Help Virginia is an award winning program created to assist Virginia’s rural localities in need of water and wastewater systems.
 
Press release >> PDF
About Self-Help Virginia >> URL

Homeless Intervention Program (HIP) Grant Application for Nonprofit Organizations and Local Governments
On Friday, April 11,2008 the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development released the Homeless Intervention Program (HIP) Application grant for homeless prevention and early intervention services for fiscal year 2009. Completed applications must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2008.

For further questions or to request a Microsoft Word version of the application and a Microsoft Excel version of the budget Attachment A, contact Nicole Poulin at: (804) 371-7113 or nicole.poulin@dhcd.virginia.gov.

(HIP) Application >> PDF
(HIP) Budget Attachment A >> PDF

Communities for Opportunities Program Application online
Qualified applicants for the Communities for Opportunities (CFO) program are now being accepted. The CFO program is designed to help participants achieve a GED and subsequently enter or retain employment, and/or pursue post-secondary education or job specific training.  Eligible applicants include adult education programs, community-based organizations that work in  partnership with an adult education program as a fiscal agent, units of local government, including educational institutions, and employers (as partners).
 
The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on June 13, 2008.  For more information, contact Winfred Brown at (804) 371-7076 or: winfred.brown@dhcd.virginia.gov.
 
CFO program >> URL
CFO application >> PDF

AIA seminars announced
The Virginia Society American Institute of Architects (AIA) will be presenting two seminars this spring, which are open to the code enforcement community, as basic building blocks of code enforcement education.  The seminars focus on the basic concepts of the 2006 International Building Code (IBC) and the design professional’s utilization of the code in all facts of their job.

·        2006 IBC Fundamentals: Non-Structural Provisions Seminar

·        2006 IBC Fundamentals: Solving Means of Egress in Commercial Buildings

Registration is $170 for AIA member, $200 for non-members.  For more information, contact Jim Walker at:jwalker@aiava.org or (804) 644-3041, ext. 207.

Additional Information >> PDF
Registration >> URL
AIAVA Site >> URL

2008 GHC workshop proposals accepted
The program committee for the Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference is accepting proposals for workshops to be offered during the 2008 conference in Hampton, VA on November 12 - 14, 2008. Proposals are being sought that address a broad range of housing affordability and policy issues, such as: Economic Development and Affordable Housing; Meeting the Foreclosure Crisis with Successful Strategies; Developing Affordable Housing in Rural Communities, and more.
 
Submit your completed proposal form via email to: ghc@dhcd.virginia.gov by May 16, 2008.
 
Request for proposals info >> PDF
Request for proposals form >> WORD.doc

Foreclosure Prevention Task Force established
Governor Timothy M. Kaine last fall announced the creation of the Virginia Foreclosure Prevention Task Force at the Governor’s Housing Conference in Roanoke, Virginia.  The task force, chaired by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick O. Gottschalk, is charged with developing strategies to help address Virginia’s growing foreclosure rate through recommendations aimed at protecting and preserving homeownership for Virginia’s working families and communities.
 
Increasing foreclosure rates not only negatively impact the individuals and families involved through home loss, related financial devastation, and family disruption - but increasingly have a correspondingly negative impact on communities.  Increasing foreclosure rates depress property values, the real estate industry, and have a negative impact on general community stability.

Foreclosure Prevention Task Force information >> URL

Agency strategic and service area plans
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has developed agency strategic and service area plans in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Strategic Planning and Performance-Based Budgeting Process. Information on the plan is available below. 

DHCD Strategic Plan >> URL
Appendix A >> URL