NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk city officials and developers celebrated a milestone for the new Kindred communities on Tuesday.
The City of Norfolk, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA), the Franklin Group and Brinshore Development celebrated the opening of two buildings in Kindred, Reunion Senior Living and Origin Circle, at an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The two buildings have been fully leased and 44 former Tidewater Gardens residents have returned to Kindred.
The St. Paul’s Area Transformation/Tidewater Gardens Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) aims to replace distressed public and assisted housing with high‐quality mixed‐income housing; improve outcomes of households living in the target housing related to employment and income, health, and children’s education; and create the conditions necessary for public and private reinvestment in distressed neighborhoods.
The City partnered with NRHA to redevelop a flood-prone, public housing community adjacent to downtown Norfolk. Kindred was the first step of the redevelopment of the Tidewater Gardens community.
The Tidewater Gardens faced challenges including:
- Stormwater and coastal flooding
- Outdated infrastructure systems
- Concentrated poverty and racial segregation
- Minimal economic activity
- Large stock of functionally obsolete public housing
It is one of the largest redevelopment projects the City and NRHA have tackled, with investments exceeding $300 million in investments including a $30 million dollar HUD grant.
During construction, families received relocation support and services including housing stability, education, economic mobility, and health and wellness.
