The team at Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation (SCDHC) recently completed a new expansion beyond Richmond and Petersburg into Emporia, Virginia. The city sits an hour south of the capital just off Interstate 95 and eight miles away from North Carolina. Under the leadership of CEO Dianna Bowser, the non-profit bought a tract of land near downtown, removed nine condemned mobile homes, organized infrastructure improvements, and then built four top-quality homes that have now hit the market.
Community leaders within the Southside District are actively pursuing investment in the area. Emporia City Manager William Johnson III persistently sought the involvement of the SCDHC knowing the depth of the organization’s commitment to the region. He recently hired a new Director of Community and Economic Development and plans to continue working closely with the SCDHC, which established a new office downtown.
Bill Greenleaf, Executive Director of Impact Lending at Locus, credits the SCDHC’s growth and expansion to Bowser’s enduring leadership and dedicated board, both of whom have worked to build strong community relationships throughout the region. Locus and the SCDHC have worked in partnership on numerous projects over the past decade. Last year, the SCDHC was selected by Fannie Mae as one of five organizations across the nation to participate in the Sustainable Communities Innovation Challenge. The initiative backs scalable proposals designed to advance racial equity.
SCDHC’s Director of Real Estate, Robbie Franklin, noted the welcoming and collaborative spirit of the local leadership in propelling the Emporia project forward. Beforehand there had been no new homes developed in the neighborhood in the last 20 years. Future potential plans entail potential townhomes or apartments and the development of the Belfield District downtown, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
CEO Dianna Bowser said, “Emporia will be our next revitalization project. We feel comfortable doing many other projects in the area in the future. We need resources to make the vision happen and we’re excited to make an impact in this community.”
For more information about the Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation, visit the website. To learn more about Impact Lending at Locus, contact Bill Greenleaf.