Charlottesville officials approve funding for 12 affordable housing projects

In 2007, the City of Charlottesville created the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund to provide a steady trickle of funding to support a variety of programs related to the cost of subsidizing places for people to live.

In 2024, that trickle has become a reliable source with Council morally committed to providing at least $10 million in funds every year for affordable housing. 

On March 18, Council held the first of two readings for allocations from two pots of money. One is the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund (CAHF) and another is the Housing Operations and Program Support program (HOPS). 

“The CAHF received and was budgeted for $835,000 whereas the HOPS received $585,000,” said Antoine Williams, the city’s housing manager. 

The CAHF received six applications and the following  programs were recommended for funded after a screening process (read the resolution):

• Albemarle Housing Improvement Program was recommended to receive $117,196 for their Charlottesville Critical Rehabilitation Program
• Community Services Housing was recommended to receive $74,054 for rehabilitation repairs to their existing properties 
• Habitat for Humanity was recommended to receive $393,750 for a home ownership program known as Habitat Core 2024
• The Piedmont Housing Alliance was slated to receive $250,000 toward development of their project at 501 Cherry Avenue 

There were 17 applications for the HOPS program and the following were recommended for approval. 

• $35,000 for the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless for the System of Care Coordination Program. A total of $50,000 was requested for this purpose. 
• $28,000 for the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless for their Homeless Information Line program. The request was for $40,000. 
• $55,034 for Community Services Housing’s Community Services Housing program. The request was for $78,620. 
• $65,250 for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville’s homeownership program. The request was for $75,000. 
• $70,000 for PACEM’s Case Management Program. The request was for $100,000.
• $148,000 for Piedmont Housing Alliance’s Charlottesville Affordable Housing Program. The request was for $185,000.  
• $95,716 for The Haven’s Vital Housing Services Program. The request was for $150,000. 
• $88,000 for the Haven’s Day Shelter Program. The request was for $110,000.

Councilors noted the absence of funding for the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. CRHA had asked for $550,000 for a homeownership program from the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund and $150,000 for resident services from the HOPS program. 

City Councilor Michael Payne is a voting member of the CRHA Board of Commissioners who felt the CRHA should automatically receive funding from the city. 

“The city has made massive investments in the housing authority for capital projects,” Payne said. “We haven’t matched that with investment in staff. We know no matter what this is an organization that is going to manage hundreds of units.  We appoint their entire Board. I feel we’ve got to figure out something to ensure that they are having enough investment in their staff to take on all these new capital projects and new work.” 

Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment is from the April 1, 2024 edition of the newsletter. This one was also a podcast, but this segment may or may not be on this week’s radio edition of the program that will air on WTJU at 6 a.m. on Saturday.

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