With a focus on being resident-led and creating resident economic opportunities, redevelopment allows us to improve the physical condition of our public housing communities and cultivate a more hopeful future for –and with– our residents.
~The redevelopment of public housing is a necessary and unprecedented investment in our future~
For our residents, redevelopment brings better housing, improved quality of life, expanded economic opportunity, enhanced resident services, and a chance to shape their own destiny.
For CRHA, redevelopment brings new and improved housing stock and new funding streams to help the agency meet its obligations.
For the City of Charlottesville, redevelopment brings major additions to our community’s affordable housing inventory, safer and healthier neighborhoods, and substantial effort to reduce poverty.
CRHA’s Redevelopment process complies with PHAR’s (Public Housing Association of Residents) Positive Vision for Redevelopment. From picking the colors of the kitchen counters to choosing an architect, our redevelopment approach places residents at the forefront of every substantive decision in the redevelopment process.
In accordance with the Residents’ Bill of Rights for Redevelopment, CRHA has promised to prioritize residents for economic opportunities related to redevelopment including jobs, homeownership, and contracting opportunities.
For more information about these opportunities and who to contact if interested, refer to our Section 3 Program Page.
Originally built in 1976, Crescent Halls is CRHA’s affordable housing community for seniors and persons with disabilities. In 2019, CRHA began the redevelopment process of the, then, neglected building. Since, half of the 105 affordable units and all major building systems have been completely renovated and replaced. Residents are currently in the process of moving into the completed units with the other half of the units to be completed by the end of the 2023 summer.
Originally built in September of 1981, South First Street’s redevelopment will be completed in two phases. The first phase of the process has been completed and includes 62 apartments in three new, affordable garden-style apartment buildings. The first phase also included a new community center, fitness center, and office center on the old “ballfield.” The second phase of the project will include around 50 newly constructed affordable townhomes and four new affordable apartment buildings on the remainder of the property.
Originally built in March of 1981, Sixth Street’s redevelopment will be completed in two phases. “Building A” will replace six existing townhomes on the Monticello Ave. side with a four-story affordable apartment building which includes amenities such as an elevator, structured parking, a medical clinic, and a variety of community spaces. Phase two is currently in the redevelopment planning stage but will include mostly townhomes.
CRHA’s Redevelopment efforts continue for CRHA’s “Scattered Sites” of Madison Ave, Riverside Ave, Michie Drive, and the Single-Family Homes in CRHA’s property portfolio. These sites will undergo exterior and interior renovations that will follow the same resident-led planning process as the larger sites.
Westhaven is CRHA’s oldest and largest public housing community. Originally built in 1964, Westhaven was constructed after the razing of Vinegar Hill, Charlottesville’s historically black neighborhood, during a time of “Urban Renewal.” Currently, Westhaven is in the redevelopment planning process.
“City of Charlottesville Housing Needs Assessment,” Charlottesville Department of Neighborhood Development Services, April 2018
“Comprehensive Regional Housing Study and Needs Assessment,” Central Virginia Regional Housing Partnership, March 2019
“The Impact of Racism on Affordable Housing in Charlottesville,” Charlottesville Low Income Housing Coalition, February 2020
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