November 20, 2015

John KownackExecutive DirectorNorfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Challenges in Meeting the Needs of Disadvantaged Families as Assisted Housing Choices Increase

NRHA Vision and MissionRental Assistance in NorfolkPlace-Based Educational Initiatives

Assisted Housing Trends/GoalsChallenges from Housing ChoiceQ & A

Quality housing choices in neighborhoods where you want to live.

Provide quality housing opportunities that foster sustainable mixed-income

communities.

Of Norfolk’s 85,000 households, ◦33,300 have incomes less than 50% AMI

◦19,000 have incomes less than 30% AMI

19,000 households in Norfolk can’t afford affordable housing

Assisted Rental Resources in Norfolk now serve 41% of the 19,000 households with extremely low incomes.

Since 2002, 905 public housing units in Roberts Village, Roberts Village East, Bowling Green and Moton Circle have been vacated and demolished.

Type of Assistance Total Units

Public Housing 3,475

Housing Choice Vouchers 2,737

Project Based Rental Assistance - NRHA 128

Subtotal - NRHA 6,340

Project Based Rental Assistance – Privately Owned 1,500

Totals 7,840

United for Children◦ Pre-K resources and early education◦ Anti-Brain Drain Summer School◦ High School Health Clinic◦ Geographic data monitoring/analysis

Community Core Teams◦ Interagency collaboration

Challenged School Focus◦ High proportion of Free/Reduced Lunch eligibility◦ Low attendance (students and staff)◦ Low test scores/high drop out rate

Type of Assistance 2002 2015 2025

Public Housing 4,480 3,475 675

Housing Choice Vouchers 2,100 2,737 3,937

Project Based Rental Assistance - NRHA 81 128 1,728

Subtotal - NRHA 6,661 6,340 6,340

Project Based Rental Assistance – Privately Owned

1,500 1,500 1,500

Totals 8,161 7,840 7,840

Over 10,000 households in Norfolk with extremely low incomes are not receiving rental assistance.

Year Population School-Aged Children

2000 6,494 2,141

2010 4,959 1,332

2014 4,592 1,192

Decrease Since 2000

1,902 949

Blue: High Poverty

Red: Low Poverty

Citywide performance goals versus focused area objectives

Difficulty tracking households leaving areas of concentrated poverty

Stigmatizing of Section 8 households Confidentiality requirements hinders

collaboration Broader network of interagency cooperation

necessary Lack of stable housing for extremely low

income families not receiving housing assistance

Expansion of United for Children effort beyond specific community focus

New emphasis from School Board and Administration on interagency collaboration

Steadily improving SOL scores in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades

Active before and after-school programs as well as summer camp

New resources put in place to support success of housing choice