|
|
Virginia's boundaries are such that part of Lee County is closer to eight other state capitals than Richmond. Also Southwest Virginia is a very rural area and therefore has had relatively little clout politically and in programmatic areas. The small redevelopment and housing authorities of
Southwest Virginia struggled to compete for funding and assistance from housing and development agencies in Richmond and Washington.
While the directors of the ten authorities knew each other, they had little contact or interaction with each other. On occasion they would travel together to Richmond or elsewhere for meetings. During these trips there were discussions about how collaboration could be helpful in their daily activities and with a formal organization their influence in Richmond and Washington could increase.
In December 1991 the ten authority directors met in Big Stone Gap and decided to organize the group and create a non-profit corporation. The next month, January 1992, the group met in Bristol and created the Little Ten Redevelopment and Housing Authorities of Southwest Virginia, aka, "the Little Ten". At that meeting officers were elected. The charter members were Tim Carter, Abingdon, Charles Harrington, Marion, Clara Whitt, Wytheville, Tom Griffith, Cumberland Plateau, Kent Gardner, Bristol, Scott Napier, Lee County, Secretary-Treasurer Charles Miller, Big Stone Gap, Johnny Black, Vice-President, Norton, Charles McConnell, President, Wise County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and Dennis Hoover, Scott County.
The group was incorporated in 1994 and became a 501C3 corporation in 1996.
Through the years the group has assisted each other with the administration of their different programs, has conducted workshops in accounting, fair housing, tenant-landlord laws, low income housing tax credits, housing
administration, among others.
The Little Ten played a key role in the transfer of the Section 8 program from VHDA to the Authorities. The Little Ten has held several meetings with HUD, Rural Development, and Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development which lead to new programs and funding and improved the ongoing Authority programs.
The group has been granted a Section 8 Homeownership program, elderly service coordinator grants, Home grants, among others. In 1994 the Little Ten received a national HUD Innovative Housing Program.
|
Little Ten Housing Authorities of Southwest Virginia, Inc.
Phone: 276-783-3381 or email.
237 Miller Avenue
Marion, VA 24354
|
|
