Posted on February 3, 2022
Virginia Supportive Housing’s next project in the Richmond region, Cool Lane Commons, is our most innovative permanent supportive housing community to date.
Located on the border of Henrico County and Richmond’s East End, the $23 million development will renovate a vacant assisted living facility into 86 units of affordable housing with on-site supportive services. Cool Lane Commons will be a mixed-income community serving both formerly homeless and low-income individuals earning 50% or less of the area median income.
Of the 86 units, 80 will be one-bedroom apartments and 6 will be studio apartments. Each unit will be at least 500 square feet and will include a private full bathroom and kitchen with full-size appliances. 13 units will be fully accessible for individuals with disabilities and 2 units will have features for individuals with sensory impairment.
The building, which is approximately 90,000 square feet, will also contain a large community room with a kitchen, a resident computer lab, a phone room for resident use, a fitness room, laundry facilities, a front desk, staff offices for on-site support services and property management staff, and off street parking. The building will also have an extensive security system and a staff apartment for an on-call night monitor. Additional commercial space will be included for Virginia Supportive Housing administrative offices as well as neighborhood resource space for community partners.
From the project’s inception, VSH prioritized integration into the neighborhood. This led to partnership with Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC), located across the street from Cool Lane Commons. FCBC’s Pastor and Founding Visionary, Dr. Patricia Gould-Champ, became a key partner and advocate. In addition to the units of permanent supportive housing, Cool Lane Commons will include offices and meeting rooms for FCBC and its partners to deliver programs and services to the immediate surrounding neighborhood.
Cool Lane Commons will be designed and constructed to achieve an EarthCraft Gold Certification for resource and energy efficiency and will contain a photovoltaic solar array to reduce the building’s energy load.
Virginia Supportive Housing was awarded a reservation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits in the 2021 Accessible Supportive Housing pool. Additional financing includes Solar Energy Credits, DHCD HOME funds, Virginia Housing Trust Fund funds, National Housing Trust Fund funds, HIEE funds, Virginia Housing PDC funds, Henrico County CDBG, Richmond CDBG-CV, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta AHP funds, a Virginia Housing REACH loan, and private foundation funds. Cool Lane Apartments has a commitment for Project Based Vouchers from the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Cool Lane Commons is slated to open in 2023.
Read more about the project, and our partnership with FCBC, in our 2021 Impact Report.
Posted on May 27, 2014
While the majority of VSH’s services are for single adults, we also recognize the need for quality, affordable permanent housing with supportive services for families transitioning from homeless shelters and transitional housing programs.
In the late-1990s, VSH purchased and renovated apartment buildings in Richmond’s South Barton Heights, Highland Park and Cary Street neighborhoods to provide affordable housing and services for 16 families with children.
VSH received the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s Housing Achievement Award in 2000 for this program.
To connect with an intake coordinator regarding this property, please call 804-232-5481.
Posted on May 7, 2014
James River Apartments is a model supportive housing residence for individuals with disabilities. The 14 units, located on two sites in Richmond, help tenants achieve maximum levels of independence through affordable, fully accessible apartments.
Development funding sources include HUD’s Section 811 Program, loans from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and grants from private foundations.
All too often, individuals with disabilities are unable to afford an accessible apartment, even when they have the necessary independent living skills to be on their own. Residents pay 30% of their individual monthly income in rent. The remaining rent is subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Section 811 Program. Supportive services are available to help residents stabilize and improve their health, incomes and housing.
To connect with an intake coordinator regarding this property, please call 804-232-5481.
Posted on May 7, 2014
VSH, through a partnership with HIGH Hopes, developed Independence House, a six unit supportive housing facility for persons with Traumatic Brain or Spinal Cord injury. Supportive services are available to empower tenants to become more independent and healthy by accessing community resources for basic human needs, re-learning certain skills, participating in education activities or gaining employment. Applicants are referred from agencies, family members and survivors themselves.
Residents pay 30% of their individual monthly income in rent. The remaining rent is subsidized by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Section 811 Program. Supportive services at Independence House are supported in part by a grant administered by the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
To connect with Stephanie Arnold, the case manager assigned to assessments for Independence House, please call 804-921-3466 or email [email protected].
Posted on May 7, 2014
In 1996, VSH opened its second supportive residence in Central Virginia. South Richmond was the renovation of a Budget Motel into 39 units for formerly homeless single adults. The units were approximately 280 square feet and included a kitchenette with half-size appliances and a full bathroom. The building had a small community room, staff offices, and a computer room. Total development costs were approximately $2 million dollars.
In 2011 Virginia Supportive Housing opened a new addition to the South Richmond apartment community, creating the Studios at South Richmond. The addition provides 21 new studio apartments with comprehensive supportive services for formerly homeless single adults from the City of Richmond, Henrico County and Chesterfield County. Eleven units are fully accessible for formerly homeless single adults with disabilities. Total development costs were approximately $3.5 million dollars.
Finally, in 2015 VSH further renovated the original South Richmond building by widening the existing building footprint to increase the square footage of the units and create several fully accessible units. All building systems were replaced in order to achieve EarthCraft Virginia certification for green building and energy and resource efficiency and a photo-voltaic solar electric system designed to reduce the building’s energy load was installed on the new flat roof. All appliances were replaced with Energy Star rated, full-size appliances and all unit hardware, flooring, and finishes were also replaced. Additional office space for property management and supportive services staff were incorporated into the building and the community room was expanded. Total development costs were approximately $5.9 million dollars.
Each unit at the Studios at South Richmond community is approximately 350-380 square feet and contains a kitchenette with full refrigerator and range oven, full bathroom and closet. Furnishings are provided in each apartment, including a bed, dresser, table and two chairs. In addition to apartments, the building has a community room with kitchen, laundry facilities, a front desk, staff offices and a computer room. The front desk is staffed 16 hours per day, and a resident night monitor is on-call in the evenings. The building has an extensive security system, off-street parking and access to public transportation.
Residents pay 30% of their income in rent. Supportive services are available to help residents stabilize and improve their health, income and housing.
To connect with an intake coordinator regarding this property, please call 804-232-5481.
