Photo: Aerial view of Winchester Forest, nearing completion, with BHC’s Winchester Greens campus in the background. (UrbanCore Construction photo)
Better Housing Coalition’s (BHC’s) mission is to change lives and transform communities through high-quality, affordable housing. Founded 36 years ago by two Richmond-area women passionate about improving living conditions for everyone living in their community, BHC has grown from a tiny, two-person coalition advocating for affordable housing to the largest nonprofit Community Development Corporation (CDC) in the Richmond region. BHC owns and operates 1,800 rental units in 19 affordable rental communities across Greater Richmond, nine of which are for senior residents. In addition to multi-family development, BHC has built and sold more than 300 affordable single-family homes to first-time homebuyers to help build family wealth for future generations.
One of BHC’s taglines is “Where you live can change your life,” because safe, stable, quality housing is about more than shelter. Where a person lives directly impacts their ability to access high- performing schools, transportation to decent jobs, and good healthcare. And, as a study by the VCU Center on Society and Health found, a person’s neighborhood can have a direct impact on their life expectancy, by as much as 20 years in the Richmond area alone. While BHC is a group of real estate developers, owners, and property managers, their true value proposition centers around uplifting people. By providing greater choices of where to live in affordable, amenity-rich communities along with free resident support services to the 2,575 individuals who call a BHC rental community “home,” BHC offers its residents an opportunity to break generational cycles of poverty and achieve greater health, economic or academic outcomes.
In spring 2024, BHC opened Winchester Forest, bringing 160 new units of much-needed affordable housing to a targeted revitalization area along the Route 1 corridor in Chesterfield County. This $45.3 million development consists of nine two and three-story garden-style apartment buildings with balconies and patios on a wooded, 13-acre site. The typical Winchester Forest household has annual incomes of around 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), or about $66,180 for a family of four. Rents range from $965/month for a one-bedroom apartment to $1,300/month for a three-bedroom apartment. Amenities include in-unit washer/dryer, barrier-free access, a community room, accessible playground, fitness room and dog park (coming in 2025). Campus amenities include walking trails, retail, banking and health care facilities, childcare center and access to GRTC and Brightpoint Community College.
“Virginia Housing Alliance’s member resources have been critical to our work. VHA’s insights and advocacy efforts help keep us informed on policies and proposed legislation that directly impacts the communities we serve. As a result, BHC is able to advocate more effectively and ensure that affordable housing remains a shared priority in Virginia.”
– Greta J. Harris, BHC President & CEO
