AGENDA DATE: 4/20/2022
TITLE:
Title
Update on the Southwood Redevelopment Project
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Receive an update on the Southwood Redevelopment Project
ITEM TYPE: Regular Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Herrick, Dimock, Filardo, Rapp, Ragsdale, Pethia
PRESENTER (S): Stacy Pethia
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Southwood Mobile Home Park (“Southwood”) is located on Hickory Street south of I-64 and east of Old Lynchburg Road in the Southern Urban Neighborhood and is located in one of the County’s Development Areas. Southwood currently has 341 mobile homes, more than 1,500 residents, and is the County’s largest concentration of substandard housing. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, Inc. (“Habitat”) purchased Southwood in 2007 with a stated intention of redeveloping the site into a mixed income, mixed-use development, removing all 341 mobile homes and replacing them with a variety of housing unit types, including site-built homes.
In October 2016, the Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution supporting a collaborative redevelopment process with Habitat for Southwood. Following this action, the Board included Southwood Phase 1 as part of its Fiscal Year 2020 - 2023 Strategic Plan under Revitalizing Aging Urban Neighborhoods. In January 2018, the Board approved an action plan and authorized the County Executive to sign a performance agreement on behalf of the County in which the County contributed $675,000 to Habitat to assist with costs associated with the preparation and submission of a complete rezoning application for Phase 1 of the project.
The rezoning for Phase 1 (ZMA2018-003) was approved by the Board in August 2018 and included approximately 33.96 acres of undeveloped land within Southwood. The approved rezoning to the Neighborhood Model District (NMD) included a maximum of 450 units and 50,000 square feet of non-residential. The area where the existing mobile homes are located was not included as part of Phase 1.
A performance agreement was approved by the Board in June 2019 to support up to 155 affordable dwelling units for Phase 1. The County’s contribution within the performance agreement includes up to $1.5 million for construction of 75 affordable units, $300,000 for 80 or more Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and up to $1.4 million over 10 years in tax rebates. In addition to the rezoning and performance agreement, the County applied on behalf of Habitat and was awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) of $1 million to support 20 affordable units within Phase 1. Habitat was also awarded $1.5 million in HUD HOME funds to support the project.
In November 2021, Habitat submitted a rezoning application for Phase 2 of the project. The application proposes rezoning the 93-acre existing mobile home park to NMD, and includes a maximum of 1,000 residential units and 60,000 square feet of non-residential. A public hearing is expected at the Planning Commission on April 26, 2022.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Thriving Development Areas - Attract quality employment, commercial, and high density residential uses into development areas by providing services and infrastructure that encourage redevelopment and private investment while protecting the quality of neighborhoods.
DISCUSSION: The purpose of this presentation is to provide an update on Southwood redevelopment activities since the update provided to the Board in September 2021. County staff will provide a presentation on project planning and submittal of site plans, and performance agreement progress, as well as the project budget and funding status.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no additional budget impact associated with this agenda item. Rather, this worksession is intended largely to inform the Board on prior commitments pursuant to the Phase 1 Performance Agreement and related costs incurred by the County. Consideration of future funding support for this project may occur separately.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff welcomes questions and feedback regarding the update on the Southwood Redevelopment Project.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Southwood Action Plan
B - Phase 1 Concept Plan
C - Resolution approving Performance Agreement
D - Southwood Performance Agreement