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Housing Virginia Connections
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Homelessness Data Added to Sourcebook
Housing Virginia has added a new tool to Sourcebook: homelessness data for your jurisdiction. This new feature provides data from the most recent Point-In-Time (PIT) Count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC) for all available regions in the state. This count took place in 2015.
The PIT is an annual survey conducted on the ground on one day that seeks to identify all homeless persons living within a designated area. The count includes people who are living on the street and in other circumstances not intended long-term habitation.
The data available includes statewide as well as counties / independent cities. Each report shows data from the closest Continuum of Care (COC) or Balance of State (BOS).
The Continuum of Care is the regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals. The Balance of State covers the areas not covered by the state's COCs, so many rural communities are included in the BOS.
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Last Chance to Attend Rural Housing Forums Around the State!
Housing Virginia will be holding our final rural housing network meeting on Tuesday, August 30th in Blackstone, VA hosted by the Southside Virginia Association of REALTORS®. Be sure not to miss it - we will be discussing housing and population trends in the rural areas of Central and Southside Virginia. Following the presentation, all attendees will engage in a discussion about the most urgent housing needs and gaps that they see daily in their work.
So far, Housing Virginia has held four forums - in Martinsville, Abingdon, Warrenton, and Gloucester in partnership with local REALTORS® Associations. The contents of the group discussions about urgent regional needs and gaps will shape the final product: a set of housing policy recommendations and action plan for rural housing in Virginia. This report will be released at the Governor's Housing Conference on November 16-18 in Roanoke.
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Showcase the Affordable Communities in Your Backyard with the "IMBY (In My BackYard) Award" at the GHC
This is your last chance to highlight your colleagues' achievements at the Governor's Housing Conference Virginia Housing Awards. Nominations are due to Rhonda Spear (rhonda.spear@dhcd.virginia.gov) by 5pm on Friday, August 25, 2016.
Find the nomination packet here.
Each year, one of the GHC's highlights is this awards luncheon, which recognizes innovative, effective efforts that address our state's housing needs.
In My Backyard "IMBY" Award
Last year's recipient: Fairfax County RHA & Fairfax County
Project: Fairfax County Affordable Dwelling Unit Program
The award in this category will go to projects that exemplify intentional efforts to create affordable housing opportunities community-wide. Projects and policies that result in the expansion of income integration in neighborhoods and communities are the focus of this award category. Examples may include a notable effort to bring workforce housing into a community where very little currently exists, a locality that has adopted inclusionary housing policies, or an organization that is a leader in promoting inclusionary practices.
Click below to see the other award categories and last year's recipients.
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Next Week: Housing Virginia's Most Vulnerable Conference
The conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Midlothian, VA and feature keynote speaker Jennifer Ho, the Senior Advisor for Housing Services at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Click here to register!
The theme for this year's conference is Integration. Sessions will explore the integration of homelessness with other related sectors. You can find a draft agenda for the conference here.
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Sourcebook Webinar on Aug. 31 (Tues)
H ousing Virginia will be holding a webinar on Sourcebook - highlighting our new homelessness data - from 9-9:30 AM on Wednesday, August 31.
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VHA Housing Credit Conference Features NHC's Chris Estes as Keynote
VHA has announced that Chris Estes from the National Housing Conference will be the keynote speaker. Mr.Estes has experience in community organizing, affordable housing development, and credit syndication as well as many other programs that create affordable housing communities.
He has also written about the linkage between affordable housing and transportation, and housing and public health, and he has worked on issues of foreclosure prevention and housing for those with disabilities.
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Save the Date: "Mobile Home Parks: Relic of the Past or Opportunity for the Future?" in Richmond on Nov. 3
The Virginia Mobile Home Park Coalition and project:HOMES will host a conference titled "Mobile Home Parks: Relic of the Past or Opportunity for the Future?" in Richmond on Thursday, November 3, 2016. The conference will provide a backdrop to the release of the findings and recommendations from a comprehensive assessment of over 50 parks in the Richmond region.
This report will look at the occupancy, condition, viability and many other criteria associated with parks throughout Central Virginia. The conference will bring together housing providers, advocates, local governments, residents and other interested parties to hear from local and national experts as well as practitioners about trends, risks and opportunities for the revitalization and preservation of parks.
Mobile home parks have been a fixture of the American landscape for nearly 75 years. Unfortunately, many of these communities have experienced significant decline in recent years. They are often the target of both public and private sector critics who raise a wide range of concerns about the ability of mobile home parks to provide a safe and decent environment for households with low and moderate incomes.
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Todd Haymore to Succeed Maurice Jones as Virginia's Secretary of Commerce & Trade
Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore will become the next Secretary of Commerce and Trade in Virginia, succeeding Secretary Maurice Jones as he assumes Chief Executive Officer of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation in September.
Governor McAuliffe commented, "As Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Todd Haymore has been instrumental in making those key industries innovative and robust sectors of the new Virginia economy. Todd brings the right combination of economic development experience, global trade understanding, and administrative expertise to build on the outstanding success Secretary Maurice Jones has achieved as a member of my cabinet."
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Welcome HV's Newest Board Members
Housing Virginia would like to extend a warm welcome to our two newest Board Members: Ms. Lisa Porter (VAHCDO, Marion RHA) and Ms. Michelle Winters (Alliance for Housing Solutions)!
Both Members were elected to our Board of Directors in June 2016. Click below for their bios!
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Housing can be a major factor in the health of its occupants.
It's long been established that environmental hazards like lead based paint, mold, and poor indoor air quality have significant health impacts on families and especially children. Severe housing insecurity, including homelessness, has a demonstrated impact on mental health. Now we are also beginning to understand that other housing features such as design and accessibility as well as neighborhood characteristics including walkability and amenities can contribute to good health or detract from it.
Housing Virginia is launching a new component off its Housing Connects program by exploring the Housing - Health interface. Working with the Williamsburg Health Foundation, we will be collecting data and mapping housing and health parameters in the Williamsburg region. This work will lead to a series of community conversations and recommendations for aligning housing and health policy.
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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.
The State of Rural Housing in Virginia: Blackstone
Aug 30 in Blackstone, VA
HV and the Southside Virginia Association of REALTORS invite you to help us shape a rural housing action plan.
Click here to register
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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