ForKids launched the Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot (VERP) in 2023, funded by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and supplemented by matching contributions from the Cities of Portsmouth and Chesapeake. Since its implementation, the program has provided rental assistance to over 1,448 households and eviction rates have decreased by 31% in Portsmouth and 37% in Chesapeake. This session will present the VERP model, which include proactive outreach to landlords and tenants, Housing Challenges Clinics, referrals from legal aid, individualized assessments, and a streamlined application and rent assistance payment process. 

In 2025, the Appalachian Regional Commission sponsored a pilot program that conducted real estate inventories of ten Virginia Main Street (VMS) districts in the Appalachian region. The pilot identified priority properties for redevelopment and provided advisory services to property owners and local governments, encouraging mixed use housing and adaptive reuse of existing structures. This session will review the process in each community and highlight small-scale developments that resulted from the pilot project.

This session offers a practical, plain-language introduction to the economic development process in Virginia - ideal for newcomers and seasoned professionals alike. Panelists from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and Virginia Housing will walk through the fundamentals of how economic development projects come together, including site selection, incentive programs, and the evolving role of economic developers. As the field shifts from a focus on jobs to a focus on people, we’ll explore how talent attraction, workforce housing, and cross-sector collaboration are reshaping the landscape. 

YWCA Richmond, Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, Henrico County, and Rebkee Development have partnered to build The Heights: 40 units of deeply affordable, safe housing and childcare. Named after YWCA board member and civil rights leader, Dorothy Heights, The Heights will be the first public-private community built for a domestic violence resource center, ensuring shelter, transitional and permanent housing for families fleeing violence. This session will explore the partnership that led to this development, including funding sources, sustainability and community impact.

Education is essential for building capacity, improving practice, and driving lasting change across the Commonwealth, and leaders in the affordable housing industry must involve students in real-world projects to develop a skilled workforce. This session will explore how George Mason University and Virginia Housing are advancing affordable housing education to shape future leaders, and expand opportunities to strengthen real estate professionals, community advocates, and public-sector leaders committed to creating resilient, inclusive, and attainable housing solutions.

People fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or stalking often face unique barriers when seeking safe and stable housing. While Coordinated Entry (CE) Systems and Victim Service Providers (VSPs) play a crucial role in connecting those experiencing homelessness to appropriate resources, many of CEs and VSPs operate in silos. This session will explore the importance of building survivor-centered partnerships between CE Systems and VSPs, their core responsibilities, practical strategies, privacy challenges, and developing parallel or coordinated access models that uphold safety and choice. 

Improving energy performance and resiliency is vital to the preservation of affordable multifamily housing. When done correctly, clean energy retrofits can stabilize assets by lowering operating costs and increasing community resilience to climate impacts. This session, led by National Housing Trust (NHT) and Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF), will introduce participants to free tools for evaluating property energy performance, highlight successful retrofits, and provide updated information on federal and state clean energy incentives.

Virginia has made significant progress in integrating adults with developmental disabilities (DD) into affordable housing through the LIHTC program. However, as resources dry up, the model is hitting a ceiling. This session brings together Hope House Foundation and Our Stomping Ground to explore the challenges and successes of DD-inclusive housing. Hope House provides Medicaid Waiver support to adults living independently in their apartments, while Our Stomping Ground works with affordable housing developers to provide housing navigation and free inclusive programming. The session aims to provide a clearer understanding of how partnerships, funding gaps, and program models impact DD-inclusive housing success.

The Rural Virginia Opportunity Dashboard is a groundbreaking data tool developed by the Virginia Rural Center that provides localized insights into housing, demographics, workforce, infrastructure, and funding opportunities in Virginia's rural communities. This session will demonstrate how the tool supports data-informed decision-making for housing development and revitalization in underserved areas. Attendees will learn how to navigate the platform, explore examples of its use by local governments and nonprofits, and see how it connects directly to funding sources.

Riverine communities face increasing flood risks from more frequent and intense storms. In recent years, catastrophic floods have devastated Southwest Virginia. RISE is the nation’s only resilience innovation hub and testbed, uniquely positioned to identify, source, and scale solutions that address the growing challenges of flooding and resilience in coastal and inland communities. With DHCD funding, RISE has sourced a number of flood protection solutions for Southwest Virginia, and funded pilot demonstration programs for these products. Solutions fall into the categories of early warning systems, insurance programs, integrated solutions, and business recovery programs. Starting in July 2025, RISE embarked on a program to implement these solutions over the entire Blue Ridge region of Virginia. RISE has engaged regional stakeholders (PDCs, local governments, NGOs, etc.) as well as State agencies to develop requirements, concepts of use, and funding profiles for the western region of Virginia. This session will report out findings to date, introduce some solutions, and describe implementation plans for the following year. This program is unlike any flood protection program in any other state, and establishes Virginia as a leader in this area.

This session will discuss how banks, housing counseling agencies, and nonprofit developers can collaborate with local governments to improve housing access, trust, and transformative solutions. Panelists from Truist, HomeNet, Virginia Housing and the City of Norfolk will discuss strategies such as scaling down payment assistance, using financial education as a wealth-building tool, responding to funding gaps, leveraging CRA goals, nonprofit agility, and local initiatives, utilizing land use tools for subsidies, strengthening compliance and outreach, and ensuring equity remains central in design, delivery, and outcomes. The session is designed for practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders seeking actionable solutions for purpose-driven housing equity.

Virginia relies heavily on federal funding to address housing issues, but with programs and budgets in flux, what does this mean for the Commonwealth? This session will explore how these challenges are altering the housing landscape in Virginia, with experts from D.C. and Virginia discussing federal spending, budget decisions, and administrative changes, while examining their impact on affordable housing development and homelessness prevention.

There is a role for all sectors in providing affordable housing, and non-profit funders are using a continuum of strategies to be involved in affordable housing activities across the Commonwealth. With panelists from the Virginia Funder’s Network (VFN), this session will highlight the work of philanthropies (e.g., community, private, and family foundations, corporate philanthropies, giving circles, etc.) in housing affordability and accessibility, including how VFN is championing affordable housing efforts in their communities.

Beacon Landing, a 54-unit Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) community in Northern Virginia, is under construction and will be the largest PSH development in the area. The session will discuss the partnership between Wesley Housing and Lamb Center, highlighting lessons learned from financing strategies, design processes, community engagement, and operational planning. It will also discuss designing for dignity, aligning services with resident needs, and overcoming funding and political hurdles in suburban markets. The session will also teach nonprofit developers how to align with local partners and navigate entitlement and community pushback.

This session will discuss managing a public housing conversion from Section 9 to Project-Based Vouchers using HUD's Section 18/RAD blend. Drawing on the Sykes Midrise Apartments project, the panel will share insights, challenges, and the tools that helped them navigate the complex process while keeping the focus on resident rights, agency coordination and long-term community goals. The session will explore resident-centered relocation planning, mistakes made, and tips for first-time project managers, with time set aside for an interactive, peer-to-peer exchange at the end. 

Over the past decade, Continuums of Care (CoCs) have been working to enhance their homeless response systems, ensuring coordination and accessibility for consumers. This session will explore how the Central Virginia CoC has successfully shaped their coordinated entry system for the benefit of all parties involved.

 This session will discuss the transformation of Tidewater Gardens, Virginia’s largest and oldest public housing neighborhood, into Kindred: a mixed-use, mixed-income community. The City of Norfolk’s annual $3M investment in the People First program has improved the lives of families, with 98% of residents having health insurance, 3rd graders proficient in reading and math increasing, and the average household income increasing from $11,900 to $37,985. The presentation will then shift to the St. Paul's Blue Greenway, where a $10M grant was used to create a 22-acre stormwater and recreational park at Kindred, addressing flooding and restoring wetlands.

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors adopted the county's Unmet Housing Needs Strategic Plan (UHNSP) on September 9, 2021, aiming to address unmet housing needs in a strategic and systematic manner, with annual attainable housing goals over a 20-year horizon. The UHNSP aims to make 20% of forecasted new homes affordable to households earning between 0% AMI and 100% AMI, with the plan including 133 key actions focused on addressing the county’s unmet housing needs. This session will explore the plan, the steps it recommends, and the ten-year process it took to develop.  

Mobile and manufactured homes are a significant and invaluable source of affordable housing in rural communities, yet much of the stock is decades old, deteriorating, and hard to finance or replace. This session aims to encourage entrepreneurs, technologists, and community leaders to create scalable solutions that strengthen housing stability and local economies. Examples include modular and prefab housing technology, renewable energy retrofits, and local replacement pipelines like project:HOMES. Attendees will learn practical models to apply technology, launch sustainable rural business ventures, and turn the housing crisis into a platform for rural prosperity.

Clergy and faith leaders are closely connected with their congregants and have heard the need for affordable housing firsthand, motivating the development of affordable housing on faith-owned land in at least 15 projects throughout Virginia. This session will explore the unique perspectives that faith communities bring to affordable housing, and the ways in which faith leaders are stepping into the affordable housing space.

This session will explore the growing housing shortage in Virginia, emphasizing the need for statewide policy solutions. Panelists will discuss the importance of state-led zoning reform, the role of state lawmakers in enabling more homes, and the potential that smart state policy has to unlock housing by legalizing more homes, aligning state and local goals, and creating a Commonwealth where everyone can thrive.

Community Land Trusts (CLTs) in Virginia are partnering with for-profit developers to address challenges of scalability and construction readiness. These partnerships, which benefit from local and state government incentives and resources, aim to create the trifecta of permanent affordability, scalable construction, and government support. This can create an influx of affordable homeownership opportunities – if we get it right. This session will explore these partnerships and the ways they have been leveraged to deliver quality home construction that will remain affordable in perpetuity. 

Thousands of students who are living in unstable housing situations are excluded from HUD assistance due to differing definitions of homelessness, with HUD’s being narrow and the Dept. of Education’s being broader. Bringing Families Home is a school-referral-based program offering counseling, financial aid and supportive services to help families find stable housing. This session will explore the Bringing Families Home program, which boasts a 75% success rate in securing permanent housing, was recognized by the National Alliance to End Homelessness and won Best Housing Program at the 2024 VAGHC. 

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is leading a statewide initiative to expand Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) who experience chronic homelessness. This session will explore how DBHDS is using regional funding distributed to Community Service Boards (CSBs) to drive the development of PSH across Virginia. It will focus on strategies to build strong state and local partnerships, address critical housing and service gaps, and create sustainable, community-integrated housing solutions that support long-term recovery and stability.

Manufactured home communities provide over 170,000 lower-cost single-family homes across Virginia, yet they are often overlooked in housing policy and financing discussions. This session will explore the critical role manufactured housing plays in the affordable housing landscape, highlighting the different types of homes and land tenure arrangements that exist. Panelists from across the public sector will also examine recent legislative efforts aimed at protecting residents of manufactured homes in Virginia and consider resident ownership as a strategy for preserving affordability. 

This session will explore how Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) has emerged as a leading strategy in the homelessness response system over the last 20 years. Introduced in 2009 through the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP), RRH was designed as a cost-effective, low-barrier, housing-first approach for individuals and families with relatively modest needs. Its rise marked a significant departure from traditional shelter-based and treatment-first models, signaling a broader shift toward more flexible and immediate housing solutions. 

Discover how strategic partnerships and innovative funding from FHLBank Atlanta are transforming community development across the region. This session explores how financial institutions and developers are leveraging the Bank’s programs to deliver sustainable, affordable housing. Presenters will discussion proven strategies that align capital resources with community needs, offering a roadmap for how institutions can make meaningful contributions to the housing supply.

This session will showcase a creative, countywide design competition in rural Virginia, funded by AARP, that promotes alternative housing options through the development of cost-effective, replicable Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) designs. Rooted in the state’s housing goals and Shenandoah County’s updated comprehensive plan, Shenandoah 2045, the initiative addresses the needs of older adults, downsizing homeowners, and essential workers. The presentation will detail how the competition model inspires local ADU development by engaging architects, builders, and community partners, while also producing permitting-ready designs that streamline the construction process. 

Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA), in collaboration with a wide network of community partners, is developing a Toolkit designed to help advocates and local leaders navigate opposition to affordable housing. Set to launch in November 2025, the Toolkit will offer practical tools, messaging strategies, and educational resources to counter common misconceptions, such as the belief that affordable housing lowers property values or disrupts neighborhood character. Drawing on research and real-world examples from Northern Virginia, the Toolkit promotes a constructive, less confrontational approach to introducing affordable and workforce housing into communities.

Central Rappahannock River Habitat for Humanity and Cavco Martinsville have developed an energy efficient, age in place, modular home on an in-set foundation that achieves zero step entry. This design and method not only helps provide an affordable home, but ensures the homes remain affordable and accessible as its owners age. In this presentation you will learn the why, what, and how, to do the same in your community You will also get introduced to the USDA loans that help make this possible for rural communities.

In June 2024, residents of the Carlton Mobile Home Park were notified that the park’s owners had received an offer to purchase the property. Under Virginia law, this triggered a 60-day window during which a tenant group representing at least 25% of residents could submit a competing offer. In response, residents quickly reached out to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville for help. Partnering with Piedmont Housing Alliance, Legal Aid Justice Center, and with support from the City of Charlottesville, Habitat engaged with the community and gathered signatures from over 40% of residents in support of submitting an offer. By early August, their offer was accepted, leading to the formation of The Habitat Carlton Alliance (HCA), a joint venture committed to managing and eventually redeveloping the park in partnership with its residents. This session will explore the full scope of the effort—from grassroots organizing and securing funding to ongoing resident engagement—demonstrating how swift, collaborative action made long-term housing stability a reality without displacement.

This session will focus on the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s (CRHA) efforts to reduce eviction risk among affordable housing residents, who are often among the most vulnerable. In response to the growing housing crisis, CRHA has prioritized innovative resident-centered strategies to prevent eviction. By fostering strong internal collaboration and working closely with residents and community partners, CRHA delivers wrap-around services, referrals, and economic opportunities that help stabilize households and support long-term housing security.

This session will explore how supportive housing serves as more than just a safety net - it’s a powerful tool for building healthier, more resilient communities. Bringing together leaders from across Virginia, the session will demonstrate how supportive housing contributes to shared goals such as improved public safety, better health outcomes, economic stability, and overall community wellbeing. Through real-life case studies, cross-sector data, and lived experiences, participants will learn how localities are using supportive housing to reduce pressure on emergency services and jails, support workforce re-entry, and foster collaboration between housing, health, and justice systems.