In the News

Collaborative Charlottesville project moves ahead

November 20, 2020

VSH has embarked a new collaborative housing project in the Charlottesville region. Working with the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless and Piedmont Housing Alliance, the project would add 140 affordable apartments in Albemarle County.

Read full article via The Daily Progress

New Clay House featured in Richmond Biz Sense

July 11, 2018

Richmond Biz Sense covered the ongoing renovation at New Clay House.  The project will nearly double the number of units in the building and involve much-needed improvements to each unit.

Read full article via Richmond Biz Sense

Local Basketball Star Saved by Program like VSH

July 11, 2018

A local basketball star, Ronnie Valentine of Norfolk, Virginia, was found living in a program very similar to Virginia Supportive Housing in Miami, FL.  His story is amazing, and the hope he found is worth reading!

Read full article via Pilot Online

Erica Holmes inducted into Virginia Housing Alliance Top 40 Network for 2018!

July 3, 2018

 

Erica Holmes, the Programs Manager at Virginia Supportive Housing was inducted into the Virginia Housing Alliance Top 40 Network at the awards ceremony in June 2018!   Over the past seven years, she has served the homeless population in various capacities, working both Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Rehousing as tools to assist her clients.  She is currently the Virginia Association of Housing Counselors (VAHC) Board President, a past Instructor with Nonprofit Learning Point, a board member for Southside Transformation Opportunities for Residents and Youth (STORY), the CACH CoC Board as the Chair of the Coordinated Entry Committee, and an independent Medicaid Provider for The Department of Medical Assistance Services for the State of Virginia.  Prior to her employment with Virginia Supportive Housing, Erica has more than 10 years in property management both in public housing and other affordable housing communities.  Ms. Holmes holds a Master’s Degree in Human Services Program Administration from Post University and a Bachelors in Business Administration from Strayer University.  When she is not providing service to homeless populations, she is caring for her three children.

Read full article via VSH

New Clay House Renovation

July 3, 2018

 

Virginia Supportive Housing has been making homelessness history for 30 years now.  Doors opened at the first VSH multi-unit property back in 1992.  That was New Clay House, situated at the corner of W Clay Street and N. Harrison Street.  Originally, there were 47 single-resident units with shared shower and kitchen facilities.  Although the model wasn’t perfect, New Clay House contributed to the incredible success rate Virginia Supportive Housing achieved; in the Richmond area, 98% of the formerly homeless individuals housed by VSH did not return to homelessness.

But experience demonstrated improvements could be made.  New Clay House was good, but it was not ideal.  Other properties in Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Charlottesville showed fully-furnished individual studio apartments could solve the problem of homelessness better.  Think of it as the difference between a lonely college dorm room and a home of one’s own.

Thirty years in, and Virginia Supportive Housing now manages 16 multi-unit properties across the state, and the time has come for New Clay House to be upgraded.  Although New Clay House was how Virginia Supportive Housing first introduced the model of permanent housing with supportive services as an answer to the problem of homelessness in Virginia, the age of the property did not reflect the standard the organization had come to uphold across all other properties.  As a result, Virginia Supportive Housing has undertaken an approximately $18 million dollar project to renovate New Clay House into the new New Clay House.

Not only will the 47 pre-existing units double in size, there will be an additional 33 studio apartments for a total of 80 formerly homeless individuals off the streets.  Every apartment will have a kitchenette with full-sized appliances and also a full bathroom.  Residents will have a community room, a private courtyard, a computer room, a phone room, a fitness room, laundry facilities, and structured parking.  VSH property management and services staff can expect their own office space also, and a large donation bay is in the works as well.

Construction started in January of 2018 and is progressing rapidly.   The expected completion date is in early 2019.

Read full article via VSH
Subscribe to Our E-Newsletter