City Receives $500,000 HUD Planning Grant

The City of Newport News and the Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority have been awarded a $500,000 Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help revitalize and transform a portion of the Southeast Community. This planning grant will enable the City to develop a community-driven plan for Ridley Place and an expanded area around the public housing complex.

“We are delighted to be a recipient of this planning grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development,” said City Manager Jim Bourey. “This is exciting news for the Marshall/Ridley Neighborhood, the Southeast Community, the City of Newport News, and all of our partners who have committed to working together to build a stronger community in the target area. Together, we will develop a sustainable and implementable plan to continue our efforts to revitalize this historic area of Newport News and stimulate investment, growth and opportunity for current and future generations.”

The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative provides competitive grants to transform neighborhoods by rebuilding both public and assisted housing into mixed-income communities and improving educational outcomes and intergenerational mobility for youth, with services and supports. The comprehensive process brings together local leaders, residents, and a vast array of other stakeholders to create and implement a neighborhood revitalization plan to transform distressed HUD housing and address neighborhood challenges. The initiative is intended to help localities build neighborhoods of opportunity. Newport News is one of 10 awardees nationwide this year chosen from 64 applications, and is the only recipient in Virginia. The target neighborhood is bounded by Interstate 664, Marshall Avenue and the Hampton Roads Harbor.