NNRHA - Community Development Page

The mission of the Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority (NNRHA) Community Development Department is to facilitate the creation of vibrant neighborhoods and communities through revitalization and redevelopment, and to encourage new development activities by promoting both residential and economic opportunities.

Organization & Activities:
NNRHA's Community Development Department consists of three divisions and several functional activities which provide an array of services as outlined in this section. All Department components work in a cooperative manner on multifaceted issues impacting neighborhoods targeted for assistance through community development initiatives.

The Department’s role in promoting affordable housing opportunities in the City of Newport News was expanded in April 2000 with the incorporation of public housing modernization and development activities into the Department through the Capital Improvements Division.

Principal funding for the Department is provided by:

Funding: CDBG, HOME, ESG, Redevelopment Project Funding, Capital Funds Program, Mortgage Revenue Bond Financing

The first three funding sources are provided to NNRHA through a contract with the City of Newport News. The U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) provides the Capital Funds Program directly to NNRHA for public housing modernization and development activities. The remaining funding source represents fees received by NNRHA associated with the Mortgage Revenue Bond process which promotes affordable rental opportunities in Newport News.

The Community Development Department provides planning functions for the NNRHA and the City of Newport News involving neighborhood revitalization, redevelopment, and public housing development activities.

Plans completed by the Department include:

SE Community Revitalization Plan, Vision 2010, Housing & Community Development

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DIVISION:

The Capital Improvements Division located at 2815 Huntington Avenue, administers the major public housing rehabilitation and development projects to ensure the continued viability of the 13 Public Housing Communities owned and managed by NNRHA. These 13 communities consist of 290 buildings containing 2,111 rental units ranging from townhouses to traditional apartments. The HUD Capital Funds Program represents the principal funding source for these rehabilitation/development initiatives. The goal of the program is to provide essential non-routine maintenance, revitalization, or redevelopment of the local public housing communities. Additional information regarding planned rehabilitation and redevelopment initiatives for the authority’s public housing communities is contained in Vision 2010: A Strategic Plan for Public Housing Development 2000-2010.


Ashe Manor	Orcutt Village Townhouses (Under Construction)

DEVELOPMENT DIVISION:

The Development Division component administers the Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) which funds a variety of housing rehabilitation and new housing development initiatives. Furthermore, the division coordinates new single-family housing development under the HOMEbuilder Program at Madison Heights whereby blighted properties are acquired and demolished to facilitate concentrated neighborhood redevelopment.

Concentrated neighborhood revitalization efforts are supported through financial assistance to neighborhood based Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) as evident in the Salters Creek neighborhood. These nonprofit developers provide new affordable housing through the construction or rehabilitation of both single and multi-family housing.

In addition to the development activities supported by the HOME Program, the division includes the Real Estate Services and Redeveloment Project components.

Real Estate Services acquires real property, administers predevelopment activities (i.e. surveys, permits & fees, lot configuration, design) and markets the new homes at Madison Heights through a comprehensive homeownership education program. This component assembles the necessary building lots for Madison Heights and works with the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA), the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD), the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and private lenders to create an affordable financial package necessary for low-income homebuyers.
Southeast Community Redevelopment Site Office
The Redevelopment Projects Site Office, located at 3001 Jefferson Avenue, is responsible for planning, organizing and coordinating redevelopment projects. Currently, such projects are located in either the Southeast Community or Downtown Redevelopment areas.

The Office also coordinates the relocation of tenants, homeowners and
businesses in designate redevelopment areas. Furthermore, the Redevelopment Site Office monitors budget expenditures for property acquisition, demolition, and relocation activities in the redevelopment areas. The Office also has responsibility for administering the City's enhanced Residential Property Rehabilitation Tax Abatement Program.

REHABILITATION DIVISION:
The Rehabilitation Division administers assistance designed to rehabilitate residential properties throughout the City of Newport News which are either owned by low to moderate-income families or leased long-term to such families.

	Homeplace Rehabilitation: Before & After

HOMEcare Rehabilitation Programs - address major housing and safety code violations in owner-occupied housing

Operation Facelift - provides exterior house painting for properties owned and occupied by senior and disabled citizens

Emergency Repair Program – assists existing low-income homebuyers with urgent repairs such as new roofs and heating systems

Open House - facilitates accessibility improvements in housing for handicapped individuals

HOMEplace - offers newly renovated homes to low and moderate income homebuyers

HOMEvestor – provides low-interest rate loans to landlords who wish to rehabilitate their rental units and agree to rent those units to low-income residents for at least five years

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program represent the principal funding sources for these initiatives. The assistance is offered in the form of grants, forgivable and/or deferred loans as well as active repayment loans.

To apply for Community Development programs, please go to our Contact Page

COMMERCIAL LOANS & RESIDENTIAL BOND FINANCING:

The Community Development Department in conjunction with the Newport News Department of Planning & Development administers three commercial loan programs designed to support economic and business development activities in the City of Newport News.

The Newport News Urban Development Action Grant (NNUDAG) Program is financed through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and provides low-interest loans to businesses created or expanded in the City of Newport News which generate employment for low-income residents. The Newport News Facade Improvement Assistance Program (NNFIAP) provides an opportunity to improve retail, commericial amd mixed-use properties located along main corridors. The NNRHA Board of Commissioners serves as the approving entity for NNUDAG and NNFIAP loans.

The Newport News Micro-Loan Program is designed to provide loan opportunities for the establishment, stabilization or expansion of small micro-enterprises experiencing a lack of access to capital. The Newport News Industrial Development Authority serves as the approving entity for the Micro-Loan Program.

The Community Development Department also serves as the coordinating entity for Mortgage Revenue Bonds which assist in the development and preservation of affordable rental housing in the City of Newport News. Such bonds require initial approval by the NNRHA Board of Commissioners and subsequent approval by Newport News City Council to establish benefits and public purpose.


	Iceland Seafood Corporation

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES:

The Community Development Program Manager assists the Community Development Director with the administrative functions of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. These functions include but are not limited to budget preparations, subgrantee monitoring, preparation of citizen participation activities, CDBG application process, collection of data for the Consolidated Plan for Housing & Community Development and the Consolidated Annual Performance & Evaluation Report (CAPER) documents. The Community Development Program Manager also serves as the Department’s principal resource person for homeless issues.