Kindlewood Phase I
VCDC is pleased to welcome Kindlewood to our portfolio.
with Piedmont Housing Alliance and National Housing Trust
January 2022 - Kindlewood Phase 1 is the first phase of redevelopment of the existing Kindlewood (formerly Friendship Court) community providing homes in the highly sought-after downtown Charlottesville, Virginia. This long-term reinvestment project offers 106 newly constructed affordable homes across three buildings. Specifically, Phase 1 consists of 71 apartments and 35 townhomes all serving low-income families, including 11 units specially designed for persons with disabilities. Developers Piedmont Housing Alliance and National Housing Trust (NHT) Communities acquired the property in 2002 and have garnered support and assistance with the redevelopment from the Charlottesville community ever since.
In May 2023, a large majority of residents decided to change Friendship Court’s name to Kindlewood in an effort to alter negative perceptions of the community and bring in a new era of positive change and revitalization at the apartments. Kindlewood and the property’s site have been a longstanding part of downtown Charlottesville’s history for decades. It was first built as “Garrett Square” on Garrett Street in 1978, named after a man who had enslaved Black people on his plantation in the area prior to the Civil War. Before becoming Garrett Square, a majority of Black families and individuals settled in the neighborhood until it was considered blighted and bulldozed by the city in the early seventies, displacing residents. Since then, the community now known as Kindlewood has often been associated with stigma of low-income housing. By placing resident input at the forefront of decision making for Kindlewood’s redevelopment and investing in high-quality upgrades and amenities, our partners on this project and Kindlewood residents are looking forward to becoming a greater part of the Charlottesville community in a place where people are proud to call home.
Piedmont Housing Alliance is committed to a policy of zero displacement, meaning that the Phase One redevelopment of Kindlewood will be built on existing open land and no resident will have to leave their current home during reconstruction. Future phases of Friendship Court are anticipated to provide mixed-use and mixed-income components.
Located in Downtown Charlottesville, Kindlewood is surrounded by shopping areas, restaurants, businesses and cultural centers, and provides easy access to public transportation, schools, and job opportunities. Residents have access to a variety of community offerings including after school care, a large playground, a library, free Wi-Fi, and access to a community, fitness, and conference center. Phase 1 of Kindlewood is being built with sustainability in mind, prioritizing green building techniques that offer strong durability and provide lower utility costs for the residents.
VCDC provided $15,821,898 in LIHTC equity toward Kindlewood Phase 1 through Housing Equity Funds 23 and 24. In addition, VCDC’s lending affiliate, VCDF, provided a $1.2 million in loans for Kindlewood through the Affordable Housing Loan Fund. VCDC partnered with Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA) and NHT Communities to assist in financing the redevelopment of Kindlewood. PHA is a long-term partner of VCDC with a mission to create housing and community development opportunities for low-income individuals. PHA owns and manages ten properties in the greater Charlottesville area and provides counseling and other services to their residents. Although this is VCDC’s first partnership with NHT Communities, they have a vast experience in affordable housing development, having developed over 42 affordable housing communities in 13 states since the organization was founded in 1988. They are the only national nonprofit engaged in housing preservation through public policy advocacy.