RRHA--CHARTING
THE COURSE FOR THE FUTURE OF
PUBLIC HOUSING AND COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
IN RICHMOND
March 2006
AN OVERVIEW:
Across America public housing and redevelopment
agencies provide a critical housing resource
through their federally funded public housing,
rental voucher and neighborhood revitalization
programs. In order to continue providing
the best affordable housing services, the
Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority
(RRHA) has developed a Strategic
Plan.
"We want to chart a successful course
for this agency that will positively impact
our residents, the organization and consequently
our contributions to the future of this
City. As we continue to discuss and review
options for revitalizing neighborhoods and
redeveloping public housing, we believe
that a strategic plan will allow RRHA to
best serve the needs of our residents, our
many partners, taxpayers, the community
and the City." said RRHA Executive
Director Sheila Hill-Christian.
DEVELOPING THE STRATEGIC PLAN:
The development of the RRHA Strategic Plan
included the review of many aspects of the
Authority, such as an analysis of the external
and internal environment of the Authority;
reviewing the intent and mission of the
agency; formulating strategies to keep RRHA
competitive and poised to maximize resources;
developing a course to implement strategies
and design tools to assess the progress
and results of the organization. The process
also determined where RRHA is at present,
where it wants to be in the future and most
importantly, what actions it must take to
get there.
The plan had the following major components:
- Physical Needs Assessment
-A detailed inspection of RRHA residential
buildings by engineers to determine current
physical conditions and costs for improvements
- Stakeholder Meetings
- Discussions with residents, partners,
taxpayers and key stakeholders to obtain
their input and recommendations regarding
the future of public housing and neighborhood
redevelopment.
- Market study - An independent
market study to determine housing needs,
housing demands and provide an economic
overview of the City of Richmond
- Financial Plan –
Development of financing options, incorporating
public and private funds, to achieve the
goals and strategies of the plan while
maximizing the U.S
Department of Housing and Urban Development
(Virginia
HUD office) and city resources.
- Strategic Plan - A
five-year strategic and implementation
plan document.
Executive Director Hill- Christian shared,
“Throughout the years, RRHA has had
an effective partnership with residents, the
City and HUD and others that has resulted
in quality affordable housing, homeownership
opportunities and neighborhood revitalization
throughout Richmond. This strategic plan of
action will create a more beneficial partnership
for all and create a more effective Authority.”
EMG Corporation based in Hunt Valley, Maryland,
as selected to develop the strategic plan
and feasibility study. They are a national
architectural and engineering consulting firm
with 150 registered architects, professional
engineers and environmental professionals.
EMG has completed similar studies in the last
three years including efforts with Arlington
County, Virginia and the Housing Authority
of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the Housing
Authority of the County of Clark, in Nevada.
EMG partnered with the firms Organizational
Destinations, and Housing-Solutions to assist
with the project.
” This strategic planning project included
the involvement of residents, business partners,
civic leaders and employees to ensure a satisfactory
completion,” Hill-Christian said, “It
is a good investment in our agency and a wonderful
opportunity for RRHA to become strategic about
its business. Most importantly, this plan
will allow RRHA to continue to make significant
progress in providing quality affordable housing,
developing safer communities, contributing
to economic development and revitalizing the
city of Richmond.”
The Five-Year Strategic Plan incorporates
new affordable mixed-income, mixed-use communities
along with family self-sufficiency and economic
development opportunities for residents. The
plan is built around four major goals –
revitalized residential and commercial communities,
economic opportunities, efficiency and fiscal
responsibility and quality customer service.
The plan includes 16 objectives, 26 initiatives
and performance measures that address the
Authority’s vision of being an innovative
leader creating dynamic partnerships that
build vibrant communities and the mission
of being the catalyst for quality housing
and community revitalization.
Click
here to view an Executive Summary of the RRHA
Strategic Plan – Vision Statement, Mission
Statement, Values, Goals, and Objectives and
Phase I initiatives.
IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN:
RRHA is moving the plan forward with the
identification of six projects for the first
phase of the plan for 2006 and 2007. They
are:
RRHA has now identified six projects for
the first phase of the plan for 2006 and
2007.
They are:
• A
Workforce Housing Program
through which RRHA will sell 130 single-family
public housing units creating homeownership
opportunities for eligible public housing
families and others;
• Infill
Lot Sales where RRHA will
sell small parcels of land which will generate
resources for affordable housing initiatives;
• The
RRHA loan portfolio which
will be reviewed to explore the sale or
reassignment of the Authority’s existing
loan portfolio to generate revenue to be
utilized for affordable housing initiatives;
• Redeveloping
a small public housing development, Dove
Court, whereby RRHA will
secure a development partner to assist in
the redevelopment of a small public housing
complex utilizing demolition and reconstruction
to build a mixed-income, mixed-use community
in tandem with the city of Richmond’s
Dove Street Redevelopment Study;
• Totally
modernizing select public housing developments
– Bainbridge and Stovall Place Apartments-
by completely renovating these existing
public housing communities and;
• Selling
a small residential building
to upgrade housing for its senior residents
while generating revenue for other affordable
housing efforts.
• Jackson
Place to sell the parcels/property
for market- rate.
” These initiatives reflect our concentration
and focus on being strategic with our resources
and assets to bring quality affordable housing
and vibrant, mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhoods
to the city of Richmond. RRHA staff will
be working side-by- side with our residents,
the Mayor’s Interagency Task Force
for Community Infrastructure, Richmond City
Council, the City of Richmond and other
partners to successfully implement these
projects”, stated Hill-Christian.
She continued, “This is an exciting
time for RRHA, our communities and this
city, and we are up to the task!”
Resident
Meetings Scheduled---
As part of the planning process, RRHA will
hold a series of meetings in the affected
RRHA communities. Meetings will be held:
• Tuesday, March 14, 2006
at 6:00 p.m. at the Overby Sheppard
School, 2300 First Avenue in the Dove Court
community to discuss the city of Richmond’s
Dove Street Redevelopment Study and public
housing redevelopment;
• Tuesday, April 11, 2006
at 10:00 a.m. at the 700 S.Lombardy
Apartment Community Room to discuss new
housing options for the residents and the
sale of the building;
• Thursday, April 13, 2006
at 6:00 p.m. at 700 S. Lombardy
Avenue to discuss the Workforce Housing
Program;
• Tuesday, April 18, 2006
at 6:00 p.m. at 1611 4th Avenue
building to discuss the Workforce Housing
Program; and
• Thursday, May 4, 2006 at
6:00 p.m. at Fox Manor, 18-A West
27th Street to discuss the modernization
of Bainbridge and Stovall Place Apartments.
RRHA will provide information and discuss
the development of operational plans for
the implementation of the Phase 1 initiatives.
The RRHA Strategic Plan was developed during
2005 with the input of more than 1,100 individuals
– public housing tenants, city residents,
RRHA staff, community leaders, businesses,
educators, other stakeholders and other
interested citizens. Some 50 meetings were
held during the process with the plan being
formally introduced in June 2005.
”Our strategic planning process provided
valuable information for RRHA. Our assessments
and market studies have given us a database
and the foundation for sound financial and
operational planning,” shared Hill-Christian.
She continued, “Our residents and stakeholders
also shared their vision for the future which
included communities that provide a mix of
housing types and services, communities that
are safe, diverse and offer an improved quality
of life for their children and families. We
are prepared to move forward to make that
vision a reality.”
If additional information
is needed, contact RRHA at info@rrha.com
or call (804)780-4344 /TTY - Dial 711. If
additional information is needed, contact
RRHA at info@rrha.com
or call (804)780-4344 / TTY - Dial 711
Richmond Redevelopment
and Housing Authority (RRHA) is the largest
housing authority in the commonwealth of
Virginia. RRHA serves more than 10,000 residents
and manages approximately 4,100 units through
its Public Housing Program and through its
Housing Choice Voucher Program provides
subsidized housing to approximately 3,100
families. RRHA also manages neighborhood
redevelopment and conservation programs
throughout the City of Richmond. RRHA has
approximately 290 employees.
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