Richmond Non-profit Housing Impact Study

The pandemic changed our world in unprecedented ways. Affordable housing and homelessness were no exception. To help understand how COVID-19 impacted nonprofit providers in the Richmond region, we teamed up with the Virginia Housing Alliance to interview and survey organization leaders several times over the past year. Here’s what they told us.

• Addressing the needs of persons experiencing homelessness remains the most complex and profound impact of the pandemic.
• Unprecedented levels of temporary support helped most providers avoid layoffs, but staff still need support.
• Although concern about staff reductions and meeting immediate needs has waned, uncertainty over future funding remains high.
• Rental housing development flourishes, though cost increases and provision of services are challenging.
• Homeownership programs face cost increases and other pandemic-induced barriers to homebuyer readiness.

Philanthropic institutions—who supported this research—have the opportunity to strengthen these providers so they can fully meet the necessary challenges ahead. In the report, we’ve offered solutions that address both organizational and programmatic support.

April 2020 COVID-19 Stakeholder Survey

We asked, you answered.

This April, as we were all becoming aware of just how severe the COVID-19 pandemic would be, we checked your “pulse” with regards to your organization’s immediate response and needs. Click here for a rundown of the results from that survey to give you a better perspective for how your fellow housing professionals are dealing with this challenge throughout Virginia.