US Sens. Warner, Kaine announce $4M for affordable housing in Virginia

WASHINGTON (WAVY) — U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner (both D-Va.) on Tuesday announced nearly $4.1 million in federal funding to help Virginians access affordable housing in the state.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

“These federal dollars will help Virginians access safe and affordable housing as our Commonwealth continues to build back better,” the senators said in a news release Tuesday. “We are glad to see this funding go toward helping Virginians in need.”

Some of the funding will be invested in parts of Hampton Roads, including Portsmouth, James City County, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

Here’s a breakdown of the funding:

Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP): These funds will go toward reducing the number of youth experiencing homelessness in rural, suburban, and urban areas across the Commonwealth.

• Commonwealth of Virginia: $1,603,743.60

Tenant Protection Vouchers (TPVs) for Demolition/Disposition: These funds will go toward replacement and relocation vouchers to demolish or dispose of public housing developments.

• Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $499,680

Calendar Year (CY) 2020 Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Set-Aside Funds: This funding will be used to provide special fee adjustments to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) that need additional funds to administer their Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, which helps low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing.

• Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority – for Unforeseen Circumstances for CY2020: $1,133,877
• Staunton Redevelopment & Housing Authority – Unforeseen Circumstances for CY2020: $59,930
• James City County Office of Housing – Unforeseen Circumstances for CY2020: $23,252

Calendar Year (CY) 2021 Housing Choice Voucher Program Fund for Special Fees for Portability: This funding will be used to provide special fee adjustments to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) that need additional funds to administer their HCV Programs, specifically for special fees for receiving PHAs with portability vouchers. Portability vouchers allow families to transfer their rental subsidy if they move outside the jurisdiction of the PHA that first granted the voucher.

• James City County Office of Housing – for Portability for CY2021: $5,856

Fiscal Year 21 American Rescue Plan Funding Adjustments for Mainstream Vouchers and Housing Choice Vouchers (Shortfall and Extraordinary Circumstances): This fund will go toward helping public housing agencies (PHAs) compensate for significant Housing Assistance Payments per unit cost (PUC) increases that PHAs faced due to COVID-19 or other extraordinary circumstances and to prevent the termination of current participants from the program. 

• Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority – Extraordinary Circumstances (Mainstream Vouchers): $12,243
• Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority – Extraordinary Circumstances (Mainstream Vouchers): $20,647
• Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority – Shortfall and Per Unit Cost Increases due to Extraordinary Circumstances (HCVs): $292,979
• Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority – Shortfall (Mainstream Vouchers): $107,626

Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Vouchers Competitive Awards: These funds will go toward housing assistance for youth between the ages of 18-24 who aged out of foster care, or will within 90 days, and are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

• Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority – Family Unification Program HCVs: $302,106
• Virginia Beach Department of Housing & Neighborhood Preservation – Homeless Foster Youth to Independence Initiative HCVs: $36,322