Housing Virginia Campaign Inc

HOUSINGFORWARD VIRGINIA IS A TRUSTED PARTNER PROVIDING HOUSING DATA, INSIGHTS, AND TOOLS TO INFORM DECISION-MAKING AND ADVANCE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO A RANGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. WE PROVIDE ADVOCATES, PLANNERS, DEVELOPERS, AND MISSION-ALIGNED ORGANIZATIONS WITH TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND BEST PRACTICES TO BETTER IDENTIFY HOUSING NEEDS, INFLUENCE DECISION MAKERS, AND INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE AND EQUITABLE HOUSING.

PSA 1 COMMUNICATIONS (AKA COMMUNICATIONS/FORUMS) HOUSINGFORWARD VIRGINIA HAS CONTINUED TO BE A MAJOR SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR VIRGINIAS HOUSING STAKEHOLDERS. EACH THURSDAY MORNING, HFV DISTRIBUTES THE FWD TO THOUSANDS OF HOUSING PRACTITIONERS ACROSS VIRGINIA. THIS WEEKLY MICROBLOG OFFERS CONCISE PERSPECTIVES AND ANALYSIS ON A RANGE OF ISSUES, RESEARCH, AND CURRENT EVENTS THAT HELP READERS GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF TODAYS AFFORDABLE HOUSING ENVIRONMENT. ALONG WITH ITS STRONG EMAIL DISTRIBUTION LIST, HFV IS ALSO ABLE TO REGULARLY LEVERAGE ITS SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE TO SHARE HOUSING NEWS, EVENTS, AND RESOURCES TO A WIDE AUDIENCE. IN ADDITION TO ITS REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS, HFV ALSO HOSTS WEBINARS ON INNOVATIVE TOPICS. HFVS WEBINAR ON MAY 11, 2023 INTRODUCED VIRGINIA AUDIENCES TO THE CONCEPT OF SINGLE-STAIR BUILDING CODE REFORM. THIS WEBINAR FEATURED PRESENTATIONS BY TWO NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED EXPERTS ON THIS TOPIC, MICHAEL ELIASON, ARCHITECT AND FOUNDER OF LARCH LAB AND ED MENDOZA, POLICY DIRECTOR OF LIVABLE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE. OVER 170 PERSONS REGISTERED, AND 85 JOINED LIVE ON ZOOM. LIVESTREAM ON YOUTUBE HAS OVER 250 VIEWS. LATER IN THE YEAR, SINGLE-STAIR BUILDING CODE REFORM LEGISLATION WOULD HIT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. IN ADDITION TO THE LIVE AND VIRTUAL EVENTS MENTIONED ABOVE, HFV STAFF ALSO REGULARLY FULFILLED REQUESTS FROM HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER GROUPS TO SPEAK ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT VARIOUS MEETINGS AND EVENTS. THESE EVENTS STRENGTHEN HFVS ROLE AS VIRGINIAS GO-TO OBJECTIVE EXPERT ON HOUSING. HFV ENGAGED ROUGHLY 500 PERSONS TOTAL THROUGH THESE SESSIONS IN 2023.

PSA 4 GOVERNORS HOUSING CONFERENCE HFV SERVES AS FISCAL AGENT FOR THE VIRGINIA GOVERNORS HOUSING CONFERENCE, AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE HELD BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND VIRGINIA HOUSING, HFV SERVES IN THIS ROLE THROUGH VIRGINIA GOVERNOR'S HOUSING CONFERENCE LLC, A SINGLE MEMBER LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FORMED ON JUNE 26, 2018 WITH HOUSING VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN INC D/B/A HOUSINGFORWARD VIRGINIA AS ITS SOLE MEMBER THEREBY GIVING THE LLC EXEMPT STATUS. ALL INCOME AND EXPENSES OF THE LLC ARE BEING REPORTED UNDER HOUSING VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN INC ON THIS 990. THE VIRGINIA GOVERNOR'S HOUSING CONFERENCE HAS A BROAD RANGE OF ATTENDEES FROM MANY PROFESSIONAL SECTORS INCLUDING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND OTHER PHILANTHROPIC DONORS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTED OFFICIALS, DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, TRADE ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY-BASED AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND PUBLIC HOUSING PROVIDERS. THE CONFERENCE CONSISTENTLY ATTRACTS MORE THAN 900 AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVOCATES, PROVIDERS AND POLICY MAKERS TO DISCUSS A HOST OF IMPORTANT ISSUES AFFECTING ALL VIRGINIANS.

PSA 2 REGIONAL PROGRAMMING DUE TO THE INCREASINGLY SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON THE ROLE LOCAL LAND USE REGULATIONS PLAY IN MAINTAINING OUR SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HFV JOINED THE NATIONAL ZONING ATLAS INITIATIVE IN EARLY 2023 TO BEGIN BUILDING A VIRGINIA ZONING ATLAS. FOLLOWING PROVEN METHODS DEVELOPED BY CORNELL UNIVERSITY, HFV BEGAN COMPILING LOCAL ZONING MAPS AND ORDINANCES INTO A STANDARDIZED FORMAT TO EASILY REVEAL HOW AND WHERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING CAN BE BUILTOR NOT BE BUILTACROSS LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND ENTIRE REGIONS. WHILE THE VZA WILL BE A GAME-CHANGING RESOURCE ON ITS OWN, HFV RECOGNIZES THAT ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION ARE NECESSARY TO PERMANENTLY ENRICH LOCAL COMMUNITIES KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF ZONING ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. OUR NEW ZONED IN INITIATIVE USES THE VZA AS A CENTERPIECE THAT IS ALSO COMPLEMENTED BY A ZONING 101 TOOLKIT, PLAIN-LANGUAGE FACT SHEETS TAILOR-MADE FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES (E.G. TRANSPORTATION ADVOCATES, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, ETC.), AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT DEMYSTIFY ZONING. HFV HAS SINCE JOINED DOZENS OF OTHER STATES IN THE CREATION OF A STATEWIDE DATABASE FOR LOCAL ZONING REGULATIONS. HFV LAUNCHED THE VZA IN LATE 2023 AFTER COMPLETING ALL LOCALITIES IN THE HAMPTON ROADS PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION (HRPDC). HFV LAUNCHED ZONED IN AND PRESENTED THE VZA ON OCTOBER 13, 2023 AT AN EVENT HOSTED BY HRPDC. NEARLY 100 PERSONS ATTENDED, INCLUDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, PLANNERS, DEVELOPERS, ADVOCATES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. HFV PLANS TO COMPLETE THE VZA ON A REGION-BY- REGION BASIS TO SHOWCASE THE IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL COOPERATION ON HOUSING ISSUES. HFV ALSO PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCALITIES AND PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSIONS BY PROVIDING POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND STEPS FOR STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IN ORDER TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION. IN 2023, HFV DEVELOPED A SERIES OF EIGHT DETAILED POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACHS CURRENT AND PROJECTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS. THESE INCLUDE A NEW HOUSING TRUST FUND, A HOUSING ASSISTANCE FUND FOR WORKERS IN CORE LOCAL INDUSTRIES, AND INNOVATIVE PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT MODELS FOR MIXED-INCOME HOUSING. HFV WORKED DIRECTLY WITH STAFF LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO DEVELOP THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. HFV ALSO HELPED JAMES CITY COUNTY STAFF WITH EVALUATING EXISTING STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, ALONG WITH POTENTIAL NEW OPTIONS UNDER STATE CODE. PRIMARY ISSUES WERE A POTENTIAL NEW AFFORDABLE DWELLING UNIT ORDINANCE DESIGN (INCLUSIONARY ZONING) AND BEST PRACTICES FOR HOTEL-TO-HOUSING CONVERSIONS. HFV ASSISTED THE NEW RIVER VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION TO DEVELOP THE FIRST REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND (HTF) IN VIRGINIA. THE FUND, SEEDED WITH THE PDC HOUSING GRANT FROM VIRGINIA HOUSING, LAUNCHED IN THE SUMMER OF 2023 AND MADE ITS FIRST AWARDSTO SUPPORT MORE THAN 100 NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITSIN SEPTEMBER. HFV RESEARCHED NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES, INTERVIEWED MANAGERS OF INNOVATIVE HTFS FROM OTHER STATES, DESIGNED SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MODELS, AND HELPED CRAFT PROGRAM GUIDELINES.

PSA 3 RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS HOUSINGFORWARD VIRGINIA CONTINUES TO ACCEPT CONTRACT WORK TO SUPPORT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, NONPROFITS, AND OTHER ENTITIES IN ADDRESSING THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS (OFTEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VIRGINIA CENTER FOR HOUSING RESEARCH AT VIRGINIA TECH). HFV IS A MAJOR PROVIDER OF MARKET ANALYSIS AND POLICY GENERATION FOR REGIONAL HOUSING ASSESSMENTS ACROSS VIRGINIA. IN 2023, HFV COMPLETED A STUDY FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA PDC, AND HAS ANOTHER THREE IN PROGRESS. IN ALL, 46 DIFFERENT LOCALITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THESE ASSESSMENTS, WHICH WILL SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR SUBSEQUENT NEW POLICY AND PROGRAM INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. CONSISTENT OPERATIONAL SUPPORT FROM GRANTEES ALLOWS HFV TO BUILD CORE RESOURCES THAT ARE FURTHER LEVERAGED TO DEVELOP PROGRAMMING FOR SPECIFIC REGIONAL AND ISSUE-BASED INITIATIVES. THESE ACTIVITIESWHICH MIGHT SPAN A SINGLE YEAR OR JUST SEVERAL MONTHSARE MORE EASILY SUPPORTED BY TRADITIONAL PRIVATE AND PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING SOURCES. EXAMPLES OF CORE RESOURCES THAT ARE NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT FLEXIBLE OPERATIONAL SUPPORT INCLUDE, SOURCEBOOK, AN ONLINE COMPENDIUM OF HOUSING DATA SPECIFIC TO VIRGINIA THAT HAD OVER 700 USERS IN 2023. IT COLLECTS, SUMMARIZES, AND PRESENTS DOZENS OF DIFFERENT DATA POINTS TO HELP USERS UNDERSTAND HOUSING TRENDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO ADVOCATE FOR AND IMPLEMENT BETTER HOUSING SOLUTIONS. SOURCEBOOK IS REGULARLY UPDATED AS NEW DATA IS MADE AVAILABLE. HFV WILL CONTINUE SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES TO SOURCEBOOK THROUGHOUT 2024. THESE EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON REBUILDING DASHBOARDS AND CALCULATORS TO IMPROVE USER EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS CREATING ADDITIONAL NEW DASHBOARDS. PLAYBOOK IS A COMPREHENSIVE DATABASE OF LOCAL-LEVEL HOUSING POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ACROSS VIRGINIA. USERS CAN QUICKLY FIND AND REVIEW WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH ARE UNDERTAKING TO SOLVE THEIR HOUSING CHALLENGES. PLAYBOOK HELPS FACILITATE THE DISTRIBUTION OF BEST PRACTICES TO POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCATES TO MAKE IMPLEMENTATION FASTER AND EASIER. HFV WILL WORK WITH PARTNERS IN 2024 TO UNDERTAKE A COMPLETE UPDATE AND REDESIGN OF PLAYBOOK. THIS UPDATE WILL SIMPLIFY THE SURVEY AND DATA COLLECTION PROCESS, RESTRUCTURE THE DATABASE TO BETTER REFLECT THE LOCAL HOUSING POLICY LANDSCAPE TODAY, AND GREATLY IMPROVE THE FRONT-END USER EXPERIENCE.