For NeighborWorks America's recent symposium, "Co-creating an Equitable Future at the Intersection of Health, Housing and Community Development," leaders created a series of case studies to help show how network organzitions are centering resident voice. Following is the first study, for Piedmont Housing Alliance in Charlottesville, Virginia, on centering resident voice, leadership and decision-makg in the redesign of place.
Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA), a NeighborWorks network organization based in Charlottesville, Virginia, works to create affordable housing opportunities and foster community through education, lending and equitable development. Since 2014, the nonprofit has partnered with residents to redesign the Kindlewood community to reflect the key priorities of residents. PHA approached this through a long-term commitment to resident leadership and creating spaces for inclusive decision-making to imagine the property as a thriving, healthy and safe place for residents.
The redevelopment of Kindlewood presented an opportunity for residents and city leaders to join together to shape the long-term future of the neighborhood. PHA recognized the link between resident-led planning and the health benefits of comprehensive and holistic neighborhood planning.
In early conversations with residents, safety and community health surfaced as critical components of a new vision for the property. Kindlewood’s Resident Advisory Board embodies an inclusive approach, uniting residents, organizational and elected leaders in shared decision-making. Trust is foundational and is built through deep relationship-building. Residents shape priorities, while stakeholders actively listen and leverage assets, fostering a shared commitment to community-driven change through resident engagement and co-design. PHA’s Youth Ambassador Program, launched in 2022, furthers PHA’s efforts through cultivating the next generation of leaders. Through hands-on experiences, youth explore their leadership voices, engaging with city council members, conducting outreach and advocating for peers on issues like the environment and health. Individuals who were youth ambassadors now serve on the Resident Advisory Board and voice long-term commitments to shape their community as they grow older and return to the neighborhood as adults.
As demographics shift, PHA and the Resident Advisory Board make it a priority to welcome new voices, ensuring that diversity is embraced in every decision. Kindlewood surfaced an important lesson: the value of taking time to really understand what residents want to see in their neighborhood and homes. Taking this time ultimately informed developers on critical priorities for buildings, built capacity within residents to voice their concerns and created space for problem-solving solutions together. The Resident Advisory Board also recognized the need to create shared language to ensure residents could bring their unique experience and expertise to bear when weighing in on decisions related to building design, programming and neighborhood-built environment. Ultimately, the aim of these efforts is to improve the long-term health and well-being of residents and neighborhoods through resident-led change.
PHA is taking the lessons learned from the Kindlewood redevelopment and building a stronger organizational commitment to equity. PHA recently merged their Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) team with their programs team. This was a strategic move to create a broader vision rooted in anti-racism and equity and is reflected in their updated strategic plan, where JEDI goals are integrated into organizational and individual performance metrics.
Moving forward, PHA is exploring what this means in practice. They are finding value in creating common understanding and practices to actualize these commitments. The Kindlewood Resident Advisory Committee will inform the development of a PHA Real Estate JEDI Accountability team. The team will incorporate an intentional and holistic equity lens to evaluate real estate decisions, acquisitions, development and projects. PHA intends to continue broadening this work, embedding resident and stakeholder co-design into all aspects of their organization.
03/05/2024
