Brighter Future Unfolds for Fletcherville

VHDA’s Community Outreach Division and Strategic Lending Unit have teamed up with Fauquier County and not-for-profit Foothills Housing Corporation to provide some much-needed improvements in a rural Virginia community. Fletcherville is a neighborhood of 36 rental homes built in the 1960s and 70s, just outside of Warrenton, Va.

VHDA is providing a $30,000 Community Impact Grant from our REACH Virginia program to Fauquier County on behalf of Foothills Housing Corporation, which plans to purchase the entire Fletcherville property. This will enable them to preserve the neighborhood’s affordability and also address issues with wastewater disposal and renovations needed to make the homes more comfortable and energy-efficient for the families who live there. The grant is funded by VHDA’s REACH Virginia program, which channels a substantial portion of our net revenues to support many programs such as Fletcherville’s revitalization.

Fletcherville is not connected to Warrenton’s sewer system, and its drainfields have raised concerns about the safety of groundwater and Warrenton’s nearby reservoir. Foothills’ proposal would extend Warrenton’s sewer lines to all the homes. Another proposed improvement is replacing oil and gas heat with clean, energy-efficient electric heat pumps.

VHDA Director of Strategic Housing Chris Thompson said he’s pleased that Fauquier County will manage the grant for Foothills, because “it demonstrates Fauquier’s firm commitment to improving the lives of Fletcherville residents, safeguarding Warrenton’s water supply and making the region even more desirable as a place to call home.”

The VHDA grant will pay for an appraisal and environmental assessments that Foothills must submit to Virginia Community Capital, the lender providing initial financing for the acquisition. When that short-term loan matures, VHDA intends to offer long-term financing for the acquisition, home improvements and the sewer project. John Reid, Executive Director of Foothills, said, “VHDA’s very good terms for a loan make the whole project doable.”

The partnership with Fauquier County and Foothills is one way VHDA is working to preserve and promote affordable housing in underserved rural Virginia communities. We’ve also introduced Foothills to agencies they may tap for future loans and grants, such as USDA Rural Development, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Southeast Rural Community Action Program. John Reid added, “VHDA has been wonderful to work with … bringing groups together on our behalf to fund these energy-efficient improvements.”

Foothills Housing Corporation was founded in 1970 with a mission to provide community wells in neighborhoods with little or no access to running water. Since then, it has expanded its scope and reach beyond plumbing and Fauquier County to make more safe, comfortable, affordable housing available to families and the elderly in many Virginia localities.