Virginia Housing Celebrates Southwood Residents in Charlottesville

Virginia Housing recently participated in Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville’s dedication ceremony for the homebuyers at Southwood Village 2, part of the Southwood mobile home park redevelopment. The day celebrated an important step in realizing a groundbreaking vision for the Charlottesville neighborhood.

Virginia Housing has supported Southwood’s redevelopment with both grant funding and construction financing, with initial support for Southwood happening with a 2018 Community Impact Grant, and in 2021 Virginia Housing provided $10 million in funding for multifamily rental housing at Southwood.

Habitat purchased Southwood in 2007 as a first step in preventing residents from being displaced as the property had deteriorated. In the time since, Habitat has remained committed to ensuring that no residents are forced to leave Southwood as mobile homes are replaced by single-family and multifamily housing, and residents have worked alongside planners, architects and engineers to play an active role in designing their own community. Throughout the Commonwealth and beyond, Southwood has become a model for non-displacement and resident leadership, and it was recognized at the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference with a Community Engagement and Inclusivity Award.

Village 2 joins communities known as Village 1 and Blocks 9-12 as part of Southwood’s Phase 1. Eight Habitat homes are now complete at Village 2, while another five will be finished by the end of 2025. The remainder will be finished in 2026, and when complete, Village 2 will also include 23 market-rate homes.

As future phases are completed over the coming decade, Southwood will be comprised of 1,100 homes, with 500 affordable to low- to moderate-income households.

Recognition of Southwood Home Dedicated to Former Virginia Housing CEO

Because one of Village 2’s Habitat homes was funded by Virginia Housing’s Virginia House Grant, the ceremony also included a special recognition of Susan Dewey, who served as Virginia Housing’s CEO for nearly 25 years before retiring in December 2023.

Originally launched in 2022 to collaborate with Habitat for Humanity partners across Virginia and commemorate Virginia Housing’s 50th anniversary, the Virginia House Grant continued in Dewey’s honor by providing a total of $1 million to five Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the state in early 2024. The funding supported the construction of single-family homes and loan subsidies, with the aim of providing families in Virginia with better shelter conditions.

“Susan was a champion for Southwood that worked with her team to create the loan structure that has funded the first phases of development,” said Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville Director of Communications and Special Projects Angela Guzman. “Virginia Housing understands the mission and what we're trying to accomplish at Southwood and has found creative ways to invest in the effort. Virginia Housing is a critical partner, which dates back to Susan's time as CEO and continues today with CEO Tammy Neale.”

The home at Southwood is now occupied by its owners, a family that moved to Southwood in 2009. After contributing nearly 300 hours of sweat equity, the family closed on their zero-interest mortgage and received the keys to their home this past May.