RECENT COMMENTS
ACORN joins Better Housing Coalition
The Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods joins Better Housing Coalition:
As of January 31, 2011 The Alliance will be moving to become part of the Better Housing Coalition (BHC) family as its Center for Neighborhood Revitalization. The Center will expand BHC services for the Richmond community and continue to provide educational programs and urban revitalization tools for communities and residents.
The Alliance brings to BHC both experience and programs that benefit prospective homeowners in their desire to renovate and preserve older and historic properties; and this opportunity allows The Alliance to increase its capacity of programs and services, thereby continuing its mission of conserving and rebuilding Richmond’s neighborhoods.
The Alliance executive director, David Herring, will become the vice president of BHC’s Center for Neighborhood Revitalization. Property director, Lane Pearson, will support Center programs as revitalization strategy manager.
“Moving Richmond’s affordable housing climate forward often requires preserving its past,” said T.K. Somanath, president of BHC. “With the skills and knowledge The Alliance staff brings to the table, we can bolster our work to revitalize Richmond’s urban core featuring well designed, walkable developments that mix residential and commercial uses, integrating the places we live, work and shop.”
John McCann, chairman of BHC’s Board of Directors, said, “We also look forward to tapping the talents of Board members from The Alliance, who have provided unwavering support for The Alliance’s mission and outreach.”
The two organizations are delighted to be integrating programs of The Alliance into Better Housing Coalition in order to continue to strengthen Richmond communities now and for the future.
Its an understandable move given the economy, but it is still sad. We need more voices not less and ACORN was a good one. I am not sure Better Housing will be willing when it is time to stand up to entities like VCU when it comes to preservation. On the other hand, hopefully Better Housing is more on top of green innovation and can bring more resources to bear when it comes to good affordable housing.
It is sad indeed. ACORN was a hugely unappreciated voice for renewal and renovation of our oldest and most fragile neighborhoods. The inability of the city to comprehend the value of this organization and support it was always a problem.
The end of ACORN means this dynamic voice will not be heard except through the filter of BHC. Hopefully, they will appreciate not only the staff they are getting but the many individuals who backed ACORN and believed in the work it performed on the streets of Richmond.
If the mandarins of Historic Richmond Foundation can be torn away from their sherry, this would be an excellent time to step up and fill the gap left by the incorporation of ACORN into BHC. The famously inactive HRF should see this as an opportunity to really lead the fight for preservation of Richmond’s streetscape. If only they would concern themselves less about the upper strata of our city’s architectural heritage and more about the neighborhoods and residential stock where serious work remains to be done.
While it is unfortunate to lose A.C.O.R.N. in their independent capacity, I think they’ve found a GREAT home with BHC. Two of the best organizations for conserving Richmond’s old neighborhoods have now joined forces, and (in my opinion) their areas of expertise will complement one another greatly. Perhaps, with the addition of the A.C.O.R.N. staff, BHC will be able to place even greater emphasis on projects involving rehab/renovation (of which they do a great job) and balance out their greater tendency toward infill. For example, just think of how their optioned properties can now (hopefully) transfer over to BHC and be saved.
A good piece by Harry Kollatz on the situation: http://www.richmondmagazine.com/blogs.php?blogID=b2c021e067de8571f4330612de8263d4