What are the reasons for redevelopment?
We sometimes hear questions like why is this project happening in the first place? Or why can’t we just rebuild all the duplex homes at Nystrom Village as they are?
There are two primary reasons for the redevelopment of Nystrom Village:
Existing duplexes were built quickly and were not meant to be long term housing & repairs for the existing buildings are substantial and are extremely costly.
The Richmond Housing Authority (RHA) is operating under a Public Housing Authority Recovery and Sustainability (PHARS) Agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which supports redevelopment and repositioning efforts to preserve affordable housing, address aging infrastructure, improve living conditions, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the housing portfolio.
In 2024 the City of Richmond and Richmond Housing Authority conducted a process to select a development partner to provide at least 100 new homes on one block of Nystrom Village for all current residents of Nystrom Village and some new neighbors to move into. The City selected CHDC and Eden Housing as the project developer, alongside the FORA design and engagement teams. After our selection, we added JUST as additional community engagement experts and RSG to lead the relocation efforts for this redevelopment.
Logos of the City of Richmond, Richmond Housing Authority, Eden Housing, CHDC, FORA, JUST, and RSG
Together, our project team explored a number of options to provide the required new homes based on initial feedback from the current Nystrom Village residents:
Repair and restore all existing units
Redevelop Block A (block closest to MLK Jr. Park) with multiple buildings
Redevelop Block A (block closest to MLK Jr. Park) with one building
To evaluate each of these options for overall feasibility, we considered if each option meets these project requirements:
Keeps the new development on one block as approved by the City. We do not have permission to build on all 4 blocks of Nystrom Village.
Maintains the required construction schedule, beginning construction in 2030.
Maintains our ability to secure the local, state, and federal funding to build the new homes.
Provides a variety of building types and unit sizes to meet the needs of the current and future Nystrom Village residents based on their feedback.
Matrix showing feasibility of 3 development options at Nystrom Village based on several development considerations
After evaluating the redevelopment options against all requirements, it was clear that repairing and restoring all duplexes would not be a feasible option for the redevelopment. Redeveloping one block with multiple buildings was selected as the option that best met the project requirements and the needs of the current and future residents of Nystrom Village.