Housing and Urban Development Awards $6 Million for Kindlewood Phase 2
More than $100M awarded nationwide as part of HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (October 26, 2023) – On Thursday, October 19, 2023, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it was awarding $103.4 million in new loans and grants to significantly renovate 1,500 low-income households nationwide. The goal is to transform homes at 16 HUD-Assisted Multifamily Housing properties to be zero energy and climate resilient under the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). The initiative is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
National Housing Trust and Piedmont Housing Alliance were awarded $6 million in funding under the GRRP for the jointly-owned Kindlewood community (formerly known as Friendship Court). The funding will support deep energy efficiency and solar installation in Phase 2 of the community. Kindlewood is currently undergoing a resident-led, four-phased redevelopment of the entire 12-acre site just south of the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville.
Phase 2, which is slated to break ground in early 2024, will include 106 new affordable homes, (both rental and homeownership through a community land trust model), a renewed Community Center, and a state-of-the-art Early Learning Center. Sunshine Mathon, Executive Director of Piedmont Housing Alliance, said, “The GRRP funding closes the financing gap and ensures that Kindlewood will be one of the most energy efficient, healthy, solar-powered and durable communities anywhere in the Commonwealth.”
The GRRP awards help finance the carbon impact reduction of housing that is affordable to seniors and working families by making long-term energy efficiency upgrades that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive. All the investments under the GRRP will advance President Biden’s historic environmental justice agenda by serving low-income families in disadvantaged communities – ensuring that the benefits flow to communities marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
Matthew Heckles, Regional Administrator, HUD Mid-Atlantic Region, said, “The Inflation Reduction Act investment we are celebrating today represents the true progress we are making towards achieving our climate goals. But, just as importantly, it means that people will be living in housing of choice that is energy efficient and more resilient to weather events.”
Formerly known as Garrett Square Apartments and then as Friendship Court, the existing 150-unit Kindlewood community is undergoing a multi-phase, zero-displacement redevelopment process that will ultimately provide homes for up to 450 families. The resident-led redevelopment includes an Advisory Committee that has worked with Piedmont Housing staff to guide the process, design the project, and share information with fellow residents. Seeking to overcome the economic and social isolation reinforced by the original design, residents advocated for not just new homes, but also increased energy efficiency and better connection to the surrounding area – improving access to employment and wealth building opportunities to enable families to grow and prosper.
Read the full HUD press release.
About Piedmont Housing Alliance
Piedmont Housing Alliance is an affordable housing nonprofit working in the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson counties. The mission of Piedmont Housing is to create housing opportunities and build community through education, lending and development. Piedmont Housing is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency, state-certified Community Housing Development Organization and US Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution.
About National Housing Trust
National Housing Trust (NHT) creates and preserves affordable homes to provide opportunity, advance racial equity, reduce economic disparities and strengthen community resilience through practice and policy. NHT provides expertise nationally and locally in preserving and improving affordable housing through policy innovation and advocacy, real estate development, lending, resident engagement, and energy solutions. NHT created NHT Communities (NHTC) in 1999 as the real estate development arm of NHT, and since its creation, has participated in the preservation and improvement of over 10,000 affordable units in 13 states and the District of Columbia. NHTC maintains an ownership interest in nearly 4,000 units in 34 apartment communities.
Media Contact:
Wes Myhre, Communications Strategist
Piedmont Housing Alliance
(434) 242-4868
wmyhre@piedmonthousing.org