Home is More than a House: Livable Communities

Federal Housing Administration• Insured Loans made by banks• Encourage Homeownership• Economic Growth

• Home Owners Loan Corporation

National Housing Act of 1934

Home Owners Loan Corporation

A = areas were “hot spots…where good mortgage lenders...are willing to make their maximum loans.”

B = areas were not as desirable but “still good.”

C = areas had reached “the transition period” where they were in decline due to factors such as age, obsolescence, and change of style and infiltration of a lower grade population. Any threat of infiltration of foreign-born, negro or lower grade population? If so, indicate these by nationality and rate of infiltration like this: "Negro-rapid“

D = areas had fully declined and were "characterized by detrimental influence in a pronounced degree.“

Richmond and HOLC

Wagner-Steagall Act, 1937

• Established a permanent public housing program in the United States

• Built largely at the most undesirable locations, and frequently at very high densities

• Income requirements ensured that only low-income residents would guarantee the concentration of poverty

Windsor Farms: Population Density: 936

Gilpin Court:Population Density: 10,287

Concentrated Poverty

94 sq. miles

5,710 sq. miles

Of the 138,136 people living in poverty, 60,559 (43%) live in just 1.6% of the

region’s land.

Concentrated Poverty

77,577

60,559

RRHA Housing Demographics www.rrha.com

• 98% African American • $7,976 is the average yearly income• 59% of all RRHA households are single females with children

5.5 MILES AWAY, 20 YEARS APARTLife expectancy differs by 20 years in the 5.5 miles it takes to drive between Westover Hills and Gilpin and by 14 years in the 2.8 miles that separate Westover Hills and Swansboro.

The VCU study suggests that this life expectancy gap is rarely due to a single cause, but rather several factors, including:

-opportunities for education and jobs-safe and affordable housing-availability of nutritious food and places for physical activity-clean air-and access to health care-child care and social services.

“The health differences shown in these maps aren’t unique to one area. We see them in big cities, small towns and rural areas across America,” said Derek Chapman, Ph.D., associate director for research, VCU Center on Society and Health. 

Home Is More than a House: Livable Communities

How do we get there?

Creighton Court Public Housing Community

COMMUNITY SIZE BUILT AVG.INCOME AVG.OCCUPANCYCreighton Court (map) 504 units 1952 $9,460 8.8 years

Broadcreek, Norfolk, VA

New Orleans, Lousiana

Atlanta, Georgia

Church Hill North/Creighton Court Revitalization

Opening May 10th, 2010Units: 447Population: 1,287

Home Is More than A House: Livable CommunitiesAsset Based Community Transformation/Revitalization

People First !

• Authentic Resident & Community Engagement• Resident Capacity Building/Empowerment• Services/Self-Sufficiency– Social Services– Health & Healthcare– Child care– Education & Training– Employment etc.

Neighborhood/Community & Economic Development

– Education-Schools, early childhood/Libraries– Parks, Bike Paths etc.– Businesses – Public Safety, Safe Streets – Accessible public transportation– Food Access– Built Environment– Environmental Conditions– Mixed Use

HOUSING

• Quality Affordable Housing • Mixed Income• 1 for 1 Replacement

Home Is More than a House: Livable Communities

How do we get there?

Together!

Collectively! Residents/Community/Public/Private/CBOs/Businesses/

PhilanthropyElected Officials/Government etc!