April 20, 2017

VHDA Creates New Rural Housing Advisory Council

VHDA recently created a new Rural Housing Advisory Council, which will provide guidance and expertise about housing issues in rural Virginia. In addition, the council will provide input on modifying existing VHDA programs and developing new programs to address identified housing needs in rural areas.

“Rural housing is an important priority for VHDA; in fact, the issue was a central theme at the Governor’s Housing Conference this past fall,” said VHDA Executive Director Susan Dewey. “VHDA will be relying greatly on the expertise of our Rural Housing Advisory Council members as they provide guidance for our programs so that we can continue to make a positive impact on the affordable housing needs across the state.”

The Council will typically meet three times a year – once in the spring, once in the fall, and at an annual holiday luncheon in December with other forms of communication used throughout the year if necessary.

The first meeting of the Rural Housing Advisory Council was held on April 19, 2017 at VHDA’s Virginia Housing Center in Glen Allen. The fall meeting will be held at VHDA’s Southwest Virginia Housing Center in Wytheville.

“VHDA has been actively engaged in addressing rural housing opportunities in the Commonwealth for a number of years,” said VHDA Managing Director of Community Outreach Mike Hawkins. “For example, the Homeownership Division recently became part of a pilot project to address manufactured housing under a USDA Rural Development Program. Also, the Rental Division has been very involved over the last several years in the preservation of USDA Rural Development-financed affordable multifamily developments. Finally, the Community Outreach Division has been very engaged in promoting homeownership education in rural communities and providing capacity building grants to rural housing organizations. We look forward to continuing and expanding upon this work with the help of our new Rural Housing Advisory Council members.”

For more information about the Rural Housing Advisory Council or VHDA’s programs and services, please contact Mike Hawkins, Managing Director of Community Outreach, at mike.hawkins@vhda.com or 804-343-5654.

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