Four home builders who typically compete for a share of the same market are united this summer as they help serve their communities. They are joining forces to renovate a building in Alexandria, Va., that serves as transitional housing for homeless families.
Brookfield Residential, Evergreene Homes, M/I Homes, and Richmond American Homes will gut, rebuild and upgrade the 10,446-square-foot building from the ground up.
The building is owned by Community Lodgings, a nonprofit that helps homeless and low-income families with affordable and transitional housing options. HomeAid Northern Virginia, launched 16 years ago by the Northern Virginia BIA, will coordinate the project.
The building will be reconfigured to accommodate seven apartments, enabling more families to call the property home.
The renovated building will provide housing stability for families who are transitioning out of homelessness and working toward self-sufficiency through Community Lodging’s comprehensive programs of transitional housing, affordable housing and education.
At an estimated $650,000 in construction costs, this will be one of the HomeAid chapter’s larger undertakings. HomeAid, the consortium of four builder captains and their network of trade partners, will cover a significant portion of the costs via donated labor and materials. The City of Alexandria and other groups are also providing funding.
While HomeAid has led more than 114 construction and renovation projects for shelters and supportive housing units across Northern Virginia since its founding in 2001, the large scope and cost of the renovation means that for the first time, it has organized a formal consortium of multiple builders to co-lead as project “builder captains.”
“Housing provided by organizations like Community Lodgings makes a direct impact in the prevention and elimination of homelessness and housing instability across Northern Virginia,” said Kristyn Burr, executive director of HomeAid Northern Virginia.
“Pulling together a consortium of multiple builders and organizations to lead this project represents a strong commitment to take on a large, complex project. It’s a great example of the spirit of cooperation: Local home builders putting aside natural business competitiveness to work together, and with HANV, Community Lodgings and with the City of Alexandria to have impact on the local community.”
