Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) has partnered with United Way of South Hampton Roads (UWSHR) for support services to undergird and assist residents, during the planned redevelopment of Young Terrace and Calvert Square. Alongside the Authority’s Client Services Department, a total of 20 employees, led by an associate director, will work directly with both communities’ residents during the project – now in the planning phase.
Both properties are close to 70 years old, located in downtown Norfolk’s St. Paul’s Quadrant and house individuals who have called the community home for decades. Redevelopment will impact approximately 1,056 housing units for approximately 2,065 residents.
A nearly 140-year-old organization, United Way has a history of providing social service support to transitioning organizations, individuals and community groups. One on one resident coaching and socioeconomic wrap around services like education, relocation assistance and workforce readiness, are some of the benefits UWSHR will leverage in conjunction with NRHA.
Staff will have working spaces within the communities, to include NRHA’s Diggs Town, Grandy Village and Oakleaf Forest properties. No redevelopment is planned for the latter communities, but having a presence and resources available is still important, officials said. Lead navigators and navigators will serve as the boots on the ground team interacting directly with residents.
Mark Uren, UWSHR chief executive officer, said the partnership is an opportunity to assist residents in a well-rounded way.
“Through this partnership, we will bring valuable resources to support NRHA families, focusing on boosting their income through education and workforce development opportunities,” he said. “Together, we will work directly with hundreds of families to help them set and achieve personalized goals, empowering them with more choices for their futures.
NRHA Executive Director Nathan Simms said enlisting neighborhood navigators and pairing them with the Authority’s Client Services Department, ensures each resident has a personal touch point that speaks to what will affect them most. In a similar fashion, People First Empowered by USI currently works directly with residents who transitioned out of Tidewater Gardens.
“For some of our residents, childcare will be an issue when we start redevelopment. For others, it will be transportation or having reasonable accommodations,” Simms said. “Having this group of professionals in place anchors our efforts to optimize meaningful interactions with our residents. They will remain first throughout this process.”
Within the Authority’s Client Services Department are the departments of Family Self Sufficiency, Workforce Development, Youth Services and Community Engagement. Each department’s team manages a caseload.
Partnering with UWSHR extends NRHA’s reach to its residents at a critical time, said NRHA Client Services Director Julius Norman.
“Joining forces in this way allows us to cater to residents’ needs specifically and strategically,” Norman said. “We’re now fortified to do that – to achieve community-level results.”
For more information about this story, email lbyrd@nrha.us