NDS approves “Major Development Plan” for Westhaven

On March 9, staff in the city’s Department of Neighborhood Development Services granted approval of a key milestone for the Charlottesville Housing and Redevelopment Authority’s next big project — a two-phase reimagining of Westhaven with a total of 264 units on an existing 10 acre footprint.

“As the Major Development Plan for the above referenced development proposes 100 percent of residential units as affordable housing and supports competitive funding applications in line with the 2021 Affordable Housing Plan and 2021 Comprehensive Plan, the Major Development Plan is hereby approved with the condition all required relief applications are approved,” reads a letter from city planner Carrie Rainey.

City Council got an update on Westhaven from CRHA Executive Director John Sales at their meeting on February 18, a story you can read here to catch up.

On Monday, March 2, City Council approved a new memorandum of understanding for its financial obligations as well as a declaration of Westhaven as a revitalization area. Both are intended to augment the application of tax credits.

“The site is being prepared for eventual redevelopment and as part of that application they’re going to be seeking low income housing tax credit funding to support that project,” said Deputy City Manager James Freas. “Something that supports receiving that low income housing tax credit designation is designation as a revitalization area by the city, something that the council has done for some of the other CRHA projects in the past.”

Council has also done that for 1000 Wertland Street, one of three locations on University of Virginia property upon which affordable housing units are to be built. A group called Preservation of Affordable Housing has planned a six story building with 180 units, all of which would be rented to households below 60 percent of the area median income. However, the group did not qualify for credits under the process run by Virginia Housing.

Sales was on hand at the March 2 meeting to explain that the final application to Virginia Housing is due at the end of the month and applicants find out if they will be awarded funds by July.

“And from that point on, we’ll be working to finalize everything,” Sales said. “So get final [Housing and Urban Development] approvals, get final city approvals around from [Neighborhood Development Services] and then get final approvals from all our other financers and grants. And so we probably still have about a year and a half before any construction would start.”

Earlier this month, Council also agreed to a new memorandum of understanding governing the $15 million committed to Phase 1. Freas said a formal agreement will need to be signed in the future.

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