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Housing Virginia Connections
June 2016
LISC Names Maurice Jones as New CEO
  

On June 16, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) announced that Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones was named as their new President and CEO. 

The LISC board unanimously selected Jones, who will replace Michael Rubinger, a community development pioneer, on September 6th this year.
 
"For me, this is a remarkable opportunity to lead one of the country's outstanding change-agents," Jones said this week. "LISC has staff all across the country who spend every day connecting with community leaders, policymakers, capital providers, and, of course, committed residents who together want to solve some of the nation's toughest problems. I could not be more excited about this work."
The Deconcentration of Poverty in Virginia: Where do We Begin?
Source: Elizabeth Kneebone, The Brookings Institute

This past spring, Housing Virginia invited partners and supporters from around the state to discuss the issue of the concentration of poverty in Virginia and what role Housing Virginia might play in helping to address this challenge.
 
Guest presenters Elizabeth Kneebone (Brookings Institute) and Thad Williamson (City of Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building) brought national, state and Richmond region data to the table, which supplemented the group discussion about solutions later in the day.
 
Statewide:
The data paints a stark picture: Ms. Kneebone noted that the number of poor Virginians living in tracts with poverty rates of at least 20% has roughly doubled since 2000. The economic recession is beginning to recede for those in the upper to middle class, but the low-income populations have been much slower to recover from the effects of the economic downturn.
Governor McAuliffe Recognized for Legislative Leadership at VHA's Awards Luncheon
The Virginia Housing Alliance recognized Governor Terry McAuliffe with a Legislative Leadership Award at their annual awards luncheon this year. He was introduced by longtime friend to affordable housing advocates Secretary of Commerce of Trade Maurice Jones.
 
The Governor spoke with his trademark enthusiasm about continuing to build up the Virginia economy and working hard to provide safe, quality affordable housing to workers around the state until the day he leaves office. He applauded advocates of affordable housing and homelessness prevention for helping him become the first governor in the nation to functionally end chronic Veteran homelessness last November.
The State of Rural Housing in Virginia: A Rural Network Forum Series
 
Rural Virginia is changing and with that, rural affordable housing needs are also in transition. Housing Virginia is assessing demographic and housing trends and has surveyed local rural providers around the state to hear their most pressing needs and their perceptions of the changes happening in their communities.
 
Housing Virginia will be holding 5 regional forums around the state in July and August where it will present preliminary findings and facilitate discussion to develop an action plan to address these gaps and needs as well as recommend policy alternatives. This plan will be released at the Governor's Housing Conference in Roanoke this November.
 
We have also begun to develop a directory of rural housing and service providers by region with data provided by the Virginia Housing Development Authority. 

Click here to see the first publication of the directory. If you would like to update or add an entry, please contact alise@hdadvisors.net with the information you would like added to a finalized digital version to be uploaded to our website.
 
Click below to find a meeting near you!
What's Next for HV's Overcoming NIMBY Training?
 

Housing Virginia is wrapping up the 2016 regional Overcoming NIMBY training sessions, with our final session scheduled for Wednesday, July 27th from 10 am - 12pm in Richmond. To register for this session at the discounted rate of $25, please call (804) 442-5000.

Since the spring, we have held sessions in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Hampton Roads, and Fairfax, where participants learned effective steps in developing public comment environments, engaging stakeholders and project champions, and other tips in marketing and advertising projects and initiatives to reduce community fear and opposition.
 
Our Hampton Roads partner, the Hampton Roads Housing Consortium, reported that the workshop "provided helpful instruction on developing an action plan, using and locating accurate data, and creating a transparent message to foster trust."
Save the Date: Upcoming Housing Events Approaching Fast!
 
The season for affordable housing conferences in Virginia is fast approaching. Make sure you don't miss any one of these events - they'll be here sooner than you think!

Click the link below to see more information about the following events:
  • 8/24-25: Housing Virginia's Most Vulnerable Conference
  • 9/21-22: 4th Annual Housing Credit Conference
  • 11/3: Mobile Home Parks Symposium
  • 11/16-18: 2016 Governor's Housing Conference
By the Numbers
40,900

The number of renters in Virginia that would no longer be cost burdened if their apartments  were more energy efficient.

Assuming that the monthly gross rental costs for all households in Virginia are reduced by $54, the total number of cost burdened rental households would drop from 477,700 to 436,800, an overall reduction by 4%.

Want to learn more about the benefits of residential energy efficiency? Visit our research partners and nonprofit friends:

(Sources: The Impact of Energy Efficient Design and Construction on LIHTC Housing in Virginia, Virginia Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech; IPUMS-USA, University of Minnesota, www.ipums.org.)
In This Issue
Calendar
 
The State of Rural Housing in Virginia: Martinsville
Jul 14 in Martinsville, VA
HV and the Martinsville, Henry & Patrick Counties Association of REALTORS invite you to help us shape a rural housing action plan.

The State of Rural Housing in Virginia: Abingdon
Jul 15 in Abingdon, VA
HV and the Southwest Virginia Association of REALTORS invite you to help us shape a rural housing action plan.

Overcoming NIMBY Training: Richmond
Jul 27 in Richmond, VA
HV's last Overcoming NIMBY training of 2016 will be held in partnership with the Partnership for Housing Affordability. Secure your spot now!
Call (804) 442-5000 to register

The State of Rural Housing in Virginia: Warrenton
Jul 28 in Warrenton, VA
HV and the Greater Piedmont Association of REALTORS invite you to help us shape a rural housing action plan.

The State of Rural Housing in Virginia: Middle Peninsula
Aug 11 in Hartfield, VA
HV and the Chesapeake Bay and Rivers Association of REALTORS invite you to help us shape a rural housing action plan.

Housing Virginia's Most Vulnerable Conference
Aug 24-25 in Richmond, VA
VHA and the VA Dept of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services bring you this annual conference on how to best serve Virginia's population that struggles with mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, and other challenges.

4th Annual Housing Credit Conference
Sept 21-22 in Richmond, VA
This conference is the premier opportunity in Virginia for tax credit professionals to learn about industry trends and connect with others in the field.

Mobile Home Parks Symposium
Nov 3 in Richmond, VA
This Virginia Mobile Home Park Coalition symposium will provide data and recommendations from a study of over 60 mobile home parks in Central VA.

VACo Annual Conference
Nov 13-14 in Bath County
Registration for this annual conference opens on Aug 15th. 

2016 VA GHC
Nov 16-18 in Roanoke, VA
Save the date for the annual VA Governor's Housing Conference at Hotel Roanoke. 

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