Southwood News and Events

Building Community from the Ground Up: Charlottesville’s Southwood Redevelopment

Building Community from the Ground Up: Charlottesville’s Southwood Redevelopment

  • February 05 2025

VCDC

Southwood, a former mobile home park in Charlottesville, is being redeveloped by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville into a mixed-income community. The project prioritizes resident involvement, with locals helping shape the design and planning. Habitat’s design incorporates flexible homes with spaces for businesses, blending market-rate and affordable housing to create a mixed-income community. This redevelopment has fostered unity and belonging, with 85% of families choosing to stay, far above the national average. The success of Southwood is inspiring future developments, such as the Carlton Mobile Home Park, focusing on community-driven, sustainable housing solutions.

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HUD awards Habitat almost $30 million for redevelopment of Southwood

HUD awards Habitat almost $30 million for redevelopment of Southwood

  • January 01 2025

C-VILLE Weekly | Catie Ratliff

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville received a $29.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for its redevelopment of Southwood, a mobile-home park transforming into a mixed-use community. This grant is one of the largest awarded nationwide as part of HUD’s new initiative. It will support infrastructure improvements, potential new community facilities, and the overall project, which will add over 500 affordable housing units.

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Habitat awarded $29.1M in federal grant money for Southwood redevelopment

Habitat awarded $29.1M in federal grant money for Southwood redevelopment

  • December 26 2024

The Daily Progress | Emily Hemphill

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville has been awarded nearly $30 million in federal grant money to assist the nonprofit group’s work at Southwood. The grant is the second largest of 17 awarded nationwide, totaling $225 million. Vice President Michelle Wamsley highlighted how this investment reflects confidence in Habitat’s approach and will help bring the $500 million Southwood redevelopment project to fruition without displacing residents.

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Home for the holidays

Home for the holidays

  • December 24 2024

CBS19

Home for the holidays has a much deeper meaning for Travis Taylor, as he is spending his first holiday season in his new home at Southwood. Taylor was approved for Habitat for Humanity's affordable home program just weeks before his trailer suffered what could have been irreversible damage from tree overgrowth. Taylor got to work on his home, which was completed in time for the holidays. 

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Habitat for Humanity receives big grant from HUD

Habitat for Humanity receives big grant from HUD

  • December 19 2024

CBS19 | Mark Gad

Habitat for Humanity received an early Christmas present after a visit from four U.S. Housing and Urban Development officials, who presented the nonprofit with a grant amounting to nearly $30 million. The grant will be used to support both the redeveloped portion of Southwood and to improve the existing section of the mobile home park in the years prior to redevelopment.

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