CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Opining Congress “hasn’t done squat” in terms of housing since COVID tore down the economy, then during economic recovery, Virginia’s senior U.S. Senator Mark Warner came to Charlottesville to present a $650,000 check to the Piedmont Housing Alliance. In addition, he held an affordable housing roundtable at the new Kindlewood MultiFamily Conference Room in one of the new residential buildings of the completed Phase 1 of the Kindlewood development. Kindlewood is the name of what was formerly Friendship Court, a name that has been redeveloped along with four-phase plan rebuilding the facilities.

Mark Warner Sunshine Mathon JuanDiego Wade Brian Pinkston
Sen. Mark Warner (left) PHA CEO Sunshine Maton (ctr left), Mayor JuanDiego Wade (ctr right),Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston (right)

The check specifically goes towards establishing a permanent location for the PHA’s Financial Opportunity Center and Housing Hub where “lower-income Charlottesville residents can come get hands-on assistance in climbing the financial ladder, improving their housing situation, and building a brighter future for them and family.  The Senator also also sat down with Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade, Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston, PHA CEO Sunshine Mathon, as well as members of the General Assembly, local elected officials, and housing leaders from Charlottesville and Albemarle for a conversation on affordable housing and economic mobility. The local leaders made it clear they are doing everything they can financially toward affordable housing initiatives, and housing leaders praised Charlottesville city leaders for the new zoning ordinances more friendly to higher-density development.

Kindlewood Phase 1
Kindlewood Phase 1

Warner said the Kindlewood facility where they met is “an incredible facility built with a combination of city, state, and federal funding”, and more models like it need to be seen across the county “where affordable housing is being provided in a way that meets the needs of the community”. Kindlewood is being rebuilt with input and design from current residents. Warner says he’s also working on ideas on how to get first-generation homebuyers into a home.
“And actually provide a 20-year mortgage at a 30-year rate so that will particularly help build equity, and that’s a way to help deal with the racial wealth gap”, Warner said.

Click here for a look at the PHA’s FOC.
Click here for more information on Kindlewood.