New Clay House

Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH) opened New Clay House in 1992 as the first permanent supportive housing community in Virginia. At the time, the former Home Brewing property in Richmond’s Carver neighborhood was more than 60 years old. VSH made basic renovations to the property to house 47 homeless single adults. Each of the 47 units was about 150 square feet with only a sink and toilet and shared community kitchens and bathrooms.

Since developing New Clay House, VSH has become the largest developer of permanent supportive housing state-wide, and our model for successful client outcomes has evolved dramatically. We now develop larger fully furnished studio apartments that foster greater independence as well as community spaces that promote social integration and activities.

VSH’s evidenced-based supportive housing model works: more than 97% of individuals we serve do not return to homelessness.  

The 2018-2019 renovation and expansion of New Clay House increased the building from 47 to 80 units (plus a night monitor unit) for homeless and low-income adults earning 50% or less of the Area Median Income. Each 350 square foot unit contains a private full bathroom and a kitchenette with full size appliances. The building now features a large community room with a kitchen and pantry, a fitness room, computer room, resident phone room, on-site laundry facilities, and a private, outdoor courtyard. The property also contains offices for on-site property management and support services staff as well as a front desk that is staffed 16 hours a day. The renovation and expansion also increased the number of parking spaces from 6 to 26 spaces with structured parking. Finally, New Clay House was designed and constructed to achieve an EarthCraft Gold Certification for resource and energy efficiency and contains a photovoltaic solar array to reduce the building’s energy load and a solar thermal hot water system to pre-heat water.

The renovation and expansion of New Clay House cost approximately $19 million. Key funders and partners include:

  • Anonymous individual gift of $1 million
  • Bon Secours Mercy Health
  • The Cabell Foundation
  • Central Virginia Resource Corporation
  • City of Richmond
  • The Corporation for Supportive Housing
  • Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
  • Henrico County
  • The Home Depot Foundation
  • S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
  • The McCann Family Fund
  • Marietta McNeill Morgan & Samuel Tate Morgan, Jr. Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee
  • The Pauley Family Foundation
  • Richmond Behavioral Health Authority
  • Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority
  • The Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg Fund at the Virginia Non-Profit Housing Coalition
  • Union Bank & Trust
  • VCU Health
  • Virginia Community Development Corporation
  • Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
  • Virginia Housing Development Authority
  • Virginia LISC
  • Wells Fargo

To connect with an intake coordinator regarding this property, please call 804-232-5481.

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