CDBG - Consolidated Plan : Executive Summary

On or about December 31, 2009 Henrico County will submit to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development its 2008-2009 Annual Performance Report for CDBG and HOME Program activities carried out under its Consolidated Plan.  A copy of the report is available for review. For information please call the Department of Community Revitalization at 804-501-7611.

 

Citizens Summary

The area enjoys an excellent location on the Atlantic seaboard at the southern terminus of the Eastern Megalopolis stretching from Boston to Norfolk, within easy access of a majority of the markets in the country and ready access to Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. The area has enjoyed a generally strong economy for many years. Historically, unemployment in the area has been low in comparison to that in other parts of the country. Much of this strength was due to the highly diverse nature of the economy. Henrico County enjoys an excellent quality of life and continues as an affordable market, offering a wide range of housing opportunities for its residents.

Action Plan

The Henrico County Consolidated Plan presents a strategy for housing and community development in the County. It contains a One Year Action Plan for spending $1.477 million of Community Development Block Grant and $931,229 of HOME Program funds. These funds will be spent for commercial revitalization, infrastructure, residential rehabilitation, homeownership assistance, group homes for the mentally retarded, services for at-risk youth, homeless shelter and transitional housing.

Citizen Participation

Henrico County's citizen participation is an ongoing process and includes two public hearings, meetings with neighborhood groups, and meetings and discussions with other jurisdictions, individuals, private non-profit providers, and government agencies. The County informed non-profit agencies of the availability of funds, and advertised its requests for proposals for the use of funds. On March 20, 2008 the County conducted a public hearing to solicit public comments concerning community development needs. The County advertised the draft Consolidated Plan.

Housing & Community Development Strategy

Housing Needs

Housing needs include maintenance of the existing neighborhoods, helping to keep the elderly in their homes through rehabilitation, housing assistance for the mentally disabled and those paying more than 30% of income for housing. Henrico County operates its locally funded Community Maintenance Program for the maintenance of neighborhoods, funds though the CDBG and HOME Programs rehabilitation of homes owned by the elderly and through these programs and significant state and local funds provides housing for the mentally disabled. Henrico County focuses on economic development and the creation of jobs and support for an adequate infrastructure for economic development and the quality of life.

Housing Priorities

Priorities for housing include residential rehabilitation, support for assistance for elderly tenants, Sec. 8 vouchers for special populations, weatherization, use of state and local funds for the mentally disabled and group homes for the mentally disabled.

Priorities for homelessness and those threatened with homelessness include financial support for CARITAS, the YWCA, the Salvation Army, the Daily Planet, and the Henrico Community Housing Corporation’s Hilliard House providing emergency shelter and transitional housing. Henrico Social Services provides financial support for emergency shelter. Henrico County is a member in the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care.

Non-Housing Community Development Priorities

Non-housing community development priorities are defined through the comprehensive plan and Capital Improvements Program. Priorities include encouraging continued homeownership, to attract new and expanding commercial and industrial activities, and to maintain balanced growth, with sufficient revenue from non-residential sector to compensate for the costs for services of residential development.

Priorities include flood drain improvements, water and sewer improvement, streets, parks and recreational facilities, commercial/industrial rehabilitation, commercial/industrial infrastructure, and employment training.

One Year Action Plan

Priority #1: Provide $162,000 from CDBG and $570,443 in HOME funds for the rehabilitation of homes owned by very low or low income elderly residents of the County. The target date for the completion of this activity is September 30, 2010. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objectives B, C and E.

Priority # 2: Support the use of Sec. 8 vouchers to provide housing opportunities for low income tenants of very low and low income special population County residents over the next year. The target date for completion of this activity is June 30, 2009. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objective E.

Priority # 3: Use some $600,000 in State and Local funds for the provision of housing services for the very low and low income mental health clients from the waiting list of 300, over the year. The target date for completion of this activity is June 30, 2009. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objective G.

Priority # 4: Use some $750,000 in State and Local funds to provide housing services for very low and low income mental retardation clients from the waiting list of 300, over the year. The target date for completion of this activity is June 30, 2009. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objective G.

Priority # 5: Provide more than $1 million through St. Joseph's Villa for transitional housing and child care services for the homeless mothers and children. The target date for completion of this activity is September 30, 2009. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objective C.

Priority # 6: Use Local funds of $45,000 for CARITAS, $56,700 for Hilliard House, $45,000 for the Better Housing Coalition, $26,000 for Meals On Wheels, $26,625 for the Mill House, $49,600 for Resources for Independent Living, $14,080 for Homeward, $46,875 for the St. JosephÆs Villa Flagler Home, $22,250 for the Salvation Army and $28,150 for the YWCA to provide shelter and related services for the homeless. The target date for completion of this activity is June 30, 2010. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objective C.

Priority # 7: Provide by lease a County owned property for use by the Henrico Community Housing Corporation to house the Hilliard House Homeless Shelter and Transitional Housing Program. The target date for this activity is June 30, 2010. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objective C.

Priority # 8: Provide $174,339 for the continuation of CDBG funded services under the CONNECT Program of services for at-risk youth and their parents in 864 very low and low income households in subsidized apartments. The target date for completion of this activity is September 30, 2010. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan goal 8.

Priority # 9: Provide $50,000 from CDBG funds and $200,000 from HOME funds to Southside Community Development Corporation to provide down-payment assistance for purchase of homes by low income families. The target date for the completion of this activity is September 30, 2010. See goals 2 and 3 and objectives C, D and E.

Priority # 10: Provide $22,000 from CDBG and $106,000 in HOME funds to HOME Inc. to provide down-payment assistance for purchase of homes by low income families. The target date for the completion of this activity is September 30, 2010. See goals 2 and 3 and objectives C, D and E.

Priority # 11: Provide 187,894 for the replacement of the patio at the Belmont Recreation Center. The target date for completion of these activities is September 30, 2010. See Henrico comprehensive Plan Objective D.

Priority # 12: Provide $184,000 for a program of services providing assistance to businesses serving low-income areas of the County. See Comprehensive Plan goals 4, 5 and 6. The target date for this activity is September 30, 2010.

Priority # 13: Provide $154,031 for improvement grants to encourage investment in properties in the older commercial corridors of the County. See Comprehensive Plan goals for 4, 5 and 6. The target date for this activity is September 30, 2010.

Priority # 14: Provide for a Program of Off-site Improvements Grants to encourage investment in properties in older commercial corridors of the County. See Comprehensive Plan goals 4, 5 and 6. The target date for this activity is September 30, 2009.

Priority # 15: Provide $70,000 to provide design assistance for the creation of jobs for commercial corridors creating jobs for low income families. See Comprehensive Plan goals 4, 5 and 6. The target date for this activity is September 30, 2010.

Priority # 16: Provide $250,000 to Virginia Supportive Housing for a portion of the cost for the development of an additional 21 apartments at the Southside SRO. The target date for this activity is June 30, 2010. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objective C.

Priority # 17: Provide $14,999 from HOME funds to Virginia Supportive Housing to provide down-payment and closing cost assistance for purchase of a home by a low income family. The target date for the completion of this activity is September 30, 2010. See goals 2 and 3 and objectives C, D and E.

Priority # 18: Provide $150,000 from CDBG funds to Habitat for Humanity for repairs to 12 homes owned by low-income families. The target date for completion of these activities is September 30, 2010. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objectives B, C and E.

Priority # 19: Provide $50,000 from CDBG funds to RAMPS for the construction of 20 handicapped access ramps at homes owned by the disabled. The target date for completion of these activities is September 30, 2010. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan objectives B, C and E.

Priority # 20: Provide $30,544 for improvements to the gymnasium at St. JosephÆs Villa to serve low income families and individuals. The target date for completion of these activities is September 30, 2010. See Henrico Comprehensive Plan Objective 4.