Partners for Better Communities (Virginia's DHCD Podcast)

At the 2019 Virginia Governor's Housing Conference, Ramona Chapman sat down with Chickahominy Tribal Chief Stephen R. Adkins. The Federally recognized tribe is one of seven in Virginia. The greater access to Federal resources can help make long term goals a reality. "I'd like to see the Chickahominy Indian Tribe develop viable economic projects," says Chief Adkins. "I'd like to be in a position to...

Marking the Virginia Tribal Affordable Housing Summit, Ramona Chapman looks back at a conversation with Upper Mattaponi Tribal Chief W. Frank Adams. The session was recorded following the 2019 Virginia Governor's Housing Conference panel session that kicked off a collaborative look at housing across Virginia's tribes, coordinated by Virginia DHCD , and Virginia Housing . "My dream," says Chief Ada...

Giles County Administrator Chris McKlarney is known for a specific brand of supportive, collaborative, and action-oriented leadership. With other New River Valley partners, the County organized early to support small businesses, quickly creating a gift card program and structuring a model approach to helping businesses when they have an active contact with the virus. "We need to do everything we c...

LENOWISCO Planning District Commission Executive Director Duane Miller joins the podcast to talk about the creative COVID relief strategy of Lunchbox 276. "We're helping families and helping businesses at the same time," says Miller.  Explore how to use CDBG to help in COVID recovery. Learn more by listening here, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo by Tim Cox.

Martinsville Building Official Kris Bridges serves on the board of directors of the International Code Council. In this conversation he turns his broad experience and commitment to building safety to the backyard summer retreat: the family pool or hot tub. What should family's watch for? "First," says Bridges, "there's no replacement for proper adult supervision."  How can you keep your commu...

In this episode, Rajan Engh interviews DHCD's Lee Hutchinson and Dr. Katerina Oskarsson around the work of RISE , a regional resiliency and economic development strategy to position Hampton Roads as a global leader in addressing the challenges of sea-level rise.  In 2017, the Commonwealth of Virginia was awarded $120.5 million through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Na...

DHCD Capacity Development Specialist Ramona Chapman is certified in using the DISC personality profile to help teams work better together. In our conversation, she highlights how different personality types respond in times of uncertainty and crisis. Get more information on the DISC assessment: EverythingDiSC.com Peoplekeys.com Extendeddisc.com Contact Ramona Chapman here.

Virginia Building and Code Officials Association President Jimmy Moss mark Building Safety Month in this conversation with DHCD's Amanda Love. Broad stakeholder participation marks the ongoing development of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC). "It's not like it's written by someone and handed down," says Moss. "We help develop it."  Then, across Virginia, building departments...

Partnering across the enterprise of DHCD programs helps to foster creative partnerships at the local level. In this episode, Amanda Love speaks with Continuum of Care lead Ara Mendoza about creative local partnerships deploying local restaurants to feed homeless individuals and families temporarily sheltered in hotels and motels because of COVID-19. "This is a team effort," says Mendoza. "You see...

In mid April, the Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) Board approved a policy to implement the GO VA Economic Resilience and Recovery Grant Program for up to $14.66 million in GO Virginia competitive funds to be dedicated statewide. Each GO Virginia regional council may apply for up to $1 million to support strategic initiatives in response to the economic crisis caused by the C...

Community Heart & Soul is a community engagement process at work in towns across the country. Created by the Orton Family Foundation as a way to help communities involve everyone, invest in what matters most to residents, and plan for the future, the process is being explored by several Virginia communities.  In this conversation, Orton Family Foundation Director of Training Sara Lightner...

In a conversation from the November 2019 Virginia Governor's Housing Conference, DHCD's Kyerra Carr talks with Community Housing Partners' Samantha Livesay about strategies to support homeownership in the New River Valley. In partnership with institutional partners and localities, the organization is working to intervene in an area with increasing housing costs. "We want to live out our mission by...

In this episode, Downtown Wytheville, Inc. Executive Director Todd Wolford discusses business support though the pandemic, sharing lessons learned during the course of the Southwest Virginia community's recent downtown renaissance. "We've become a hub of information," says Wolford, "so a lot of people were looking at our organization saying 'What are you going to do?' It's a lot of pressure."&nbsp...

As the Policy and Strategic Development staff in Community Development roll out guidance for using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to address COVID-19, they're answering lots of questions. Learn from their conversations with more than 70 Virginia communities and get the latest guidance from Policy Analyst Rachel Jordan. CDBG COVID-19 Landing Page: Click here  CDBG COVID-19 Fact...

Mahalia Dryden-Mason is an advocate and resource for fair, safe, affordable housing for all Virginians.   In this conversation with DHCD's Kyerra Carr at the 2019 Virginia Governor's Housing Conference, Dryden-Mason talks about what drives her work through the Virginia Fair Housing Office at the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Relations (DPOR).  "At the end...

Arlington County quickly responded to the challenge of providing building services during the closures of public spaces during COVID-19. "We thought at first it was a monumental task, but found that it wasn't that difficult," says Chief Building Official and Inspection Services Director Shariar Amiri. Having moved the review and inspection process to online and virtual delivery, Amiri says, "If I...

How can community development block grant resources address the urgent needs of a COVID-19 Virginia?  Matt Weaver, associate director of Community Development's Policy and Strategic Development Office, walks us through the program and some strategies emerging across Virginia's communities. Get an overview of CDBG urgent need resources at https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/using-cdbg-resources-resp...

DHCD Associate Director of Community Development oversees the Community Revitalization Office (CRO). The CRO team is converting its technical assistance and resources to serve Virginia business districts remotely. Working with the Virginia Main Street program, local leaders have access to webinars and ongoing grant programs. Designated Main Street communities can currently apply for quick-response...

"I've never seen anything like the speed with which we moved to get money into communities," says Nichele Carver, DHCD's associate director of homeless and special needs housing. These are extraordinary circumstances, in which those in need of shelter are faced with life-threatening conditions. Hear about the quick-action strategies that a range of state agencies, partners and communities took to...

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Public Relations Director Amanda Love catches us up on the agency's response and coordination of resources to help community partners navigate new terrain under COVID-19 precautions. Together we'll keep the commonwealth as healthy and strong as possible and work to mitigate health and economic impacts.  Find DHCD COVID-19 resources and...

Getting things started to improve a community can be as fundamental as bringing people together, providing a space for conversation, and encouraging others to get involved. Weirwood, on Virginia's Eastern Shore has a "legendary" space and leadership doing just that. Enjoy this visit with community spark plug Jane G. Cabarrus, recorded at the 2019 Virginia Governor's Housing Conference. And when yo...

Residents in rural areas have specific challenges that benefit from regional collaboration. In the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, service providers are working together through an organized housing coalition to help reduce barriers to resources and services, helping families in need in a timely way. Hear Northern Neck / Middle Peninsula Housing Coalition (NNMPHC) participant Faith Brooks of T...

Continuing from our first conversation with Joy Johnson, Dave Norris describes the resident-led work in redeveloping existing units at Charlottesville's Redevelopment and Housing Authority  "It's a huge undertaking," says Norris. The project affects 376 households, and includes a leadership group of stakeholders who come together weekly. "The fact that we have residents from the neighborhoods...

A conversation with Joy Johnson of Charlottesville's Public Housing Association of Residents launches the DHCD Partners for Better Communities Podcast. "We created a positive vision," Ms. Johnson says of the work of eight women residents in determining to rehab existing units to minimize the disruption of resident's lives while reinvesting in quality housing. See images of PHAR's work on their Fac...

The podcast of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (VADHCD). Each episode features the voices of leaders and change makers across the commonwealth. We'll look at the innovation and inspiration at play as local, regional, and state leaders work together to create safe, affordable, and prosperous communities.