Transforming the Maymont and Randolph Neighborhoods
In the 1960’s, several homes in the Randolph and Maymont neighborhoods in the City of Richmond were moved from their original location to make way for the construction of the Downtown Expressway. These cute little brick capes were owned for several years by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority and sat vacant and boarded up for over a decade. Entire cul de sacs and blocks sat un-lived in, leaving neighbors feeling uneasy and detracting from the beauty of the neighborhood.
In July of 2016, the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority announced their initiative to utilize local housing organizations to redevelop these homes into affordable homeownership opportunities.
During the first phase of this revitalization effort, Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity applied to acquire 12 of these properties, and finished construction in Spring of 2019. These 12 homes are all located within a few blocks of each other, and rehabilitating them has had a huge effect on the stability and appearance of the neighborhood. Our sister housing organization, project:HOMES, is rehabbing additional homes within the neighborhood as well.
After the success of this first round, RRHA announced a second phase of homes available. RMHFH applied for and was granted 13 additional homes in the Maymont/Randolph neighborhoods. RMHFH is working to rehabilitate six of the homes for qualified Habitat for Humanity homeowners who will pay an affordable mortgage. The additional homes will be sold through Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program to homeowners who qualify for a traditional mortgage, but still meet our income guidelines. Some of the homes sold through our Neighborhood Revitalization Program will also be purchased in partnership with the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, keeping them affordable in perpetuity.
By taking this multi-pronged approach, we are promoting the establishment of mixed-income neighborhoods, while at the same time, generating additional funds to help support future Habitat for Humanity construction projects in the Richmond area. Research shows that mixed-income neighborhoods provide a longer term, higher quality neighborhood for residents.
This revitalization is a true community effort and would not be possible without the support of hundreds of local volunteers and donors.
Project:HOMES and Richmond Habitat were awarded a Golden Hammer Award by the Historic Richmond Foundation and the Storefront for Community Design for our revitalization efforts in the Maymont and Randolph neighborhoods. We are proud of the work we are doing in these neighborhoods and are excited to see the impact it’s making on the landscape of the community.
