OUR PROPERTIES - Valley Supportive Housing

1115 WEST JOHNSON STREET, STAUNTON

Valley Supportive Housing purchased a triplex at 1115 West Johnson Street, near its other properties, in 2017 and converted it to three more attractive housing units for VSH residents. Like other VSH projects, the apartments were fully occupied as soon as it was completed.

This facility is one house up from the 1111 West Johnson Street VSH structure and is convenient to transportation.

111 PUMP STREET

Valley Supportive Housing purchased an existing apartment building with retail space on Staunton’s Pump Street in 2020. The facility includes six apartments and a first floor retail space that VSH is leasing to its current occupant for two years. The retail space will eventually be converted to more apartment space and possibly office or meeting room space.

The Pump Street facility is on the corner of Lewis and Pump and is convenient to downtown Staunton and to public transportation.

1314 WEST JOHNSON STREET

In 2005, Valley Supportive Housing , then known as VACSI, purchased and renovated the former Effie Ann Daycare Center on Johnson Street in Staunton. After an extended period of negotiations and in the face of some local and city concerns, a temporary permit for the project was issued and construction began.

The original day care center building was renovated into six apartments and a large office space for the Valley Community Services Board (VCSB) PACT office. The rent from the PACT space was used to help subsidize the rents for residents.

A new, house-like building was added to the property to the west of the main building. The two-story structure had four apartments, two on each floor.

All apartments were light, attractive one-bedroom units with a fully equipped kitchen, living/dining room, full bath, bedroom and a new washer and drier. The rent includes heat and air conditioning, cable television and water.

Pursuant to its initial temporary permit, VSH went before the City Council again in 2008 and received not only a permanent permit, but the unanimous endorsement and support of council, the local newspaper and its community.

In 2014 the VCSB moved their PACT program out of the facility. In late 2018, Valley Supportive Housing completed renovating that space into 8 additional and needed efficiency apartments. These new apartments are primarily to serve those coming out of homelessness. They are also part of the federal Housing First program administered by the VCSB. These apartments are furnished – including a television, cooking utensils, linens and other everyday items.

The Staunton free trolley stops nearby so that residents who don’t drive can get about the city on errands. As a part of the construction, VSH added substantial water tank storage that enhances fire protection in the entire hilltop neighborhood. The facility also included storm drain improvements that also enhanced drainage from many other homes in the predominantly residential area.

1111 WEST JOHNSON STREET

Valley Supportive Housing purchased an old home down the hill from its flagship 1314 West Johnson Street in 2012. The old house had been converted into a duplex for years. VACSI went to work and renovated it into three very attractive living spaces.

The old structure was in need of substantial work when VSH acquired it. The organization not only transformed the old building into three units, it did it using only local purchase of supplies, local labor and local financing. Valley Supportive Housing works hard to serve its community both by providing affordable housing to those who meet its criteria, but through support of local businesses and craftspeople.

The building has three floors and three apartments. Two have a full kitchen and one has a limited kitchen facility. All have living rooms, full bath, a bedroom and a washer and dryer. Rent includes cable television and all utilities.

At the Valley Supportive Housing open house event for this new facility, a visitor asked how to apply to live there. He had been battling mental illness for 13 years, and lived in an old house – with shared bath and kitchen – with rent and utilities that took all but $55 of his disability income, leaving him little for food and other essentials. At that time his absentee landlord was trying to sell the property, and he was living month to month with no other place to move to. Like so many in our area, his illness, the stigma associated with it, and his low income severely limit his housing options. The need across our community for this kind of housing remains high, and Valley Supportive Housing continues to work to respond.

KALORAMA STREET APARTMENTS

The Valley Supportive Housing project at 240 Kalorama Street broke new ground for the organization in two areas. The project is in a historic district, and it has two kinds or sizes of apartments.

VSH purchased the vintage 1920s home in 2014. It was built as a duplex, but had been converted into four apartments many years ago. The house was in a historic district at the corner of Kalorama and Coalter streets, a larger house that was very prominent from the major highway entrance to Staunton and just down from the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace and Presidential Library.

VSH essentially gutted the structure and, using the basement space, created eight attractive apartments. Working with the Staunton Historic Foundation, VSH designed the outside of the building to actually appear as it did when built – eliminating extra entrances added years ago in the creation of additional apartments. The porches and access on the back were removed and replaced with a beautiful new stacked porch and stairs design that is striking.

As is its practice, all the renovation work at Kalorama was done by local contractors and volunteers using locally purchased materials to the extent possible.

The finished project had eight apartments. Four units were of the one-bedroom size found in most of the other VSH projects. However, four other units were efficiency units that could be rented for much less, units specifically designed to serve those near or emerging from homelessness. VSH learned of the real need for this kind of housing through its partnerships with the Valley Mission and other community organizations.

All apartments have fully equipped kitchens, a full bath and a heating/air conditioning unit. Rent includes cable television and water. A fully equipped and free laundry room is provided in the basement for all residents.

233 NORTH MADISON

North Madison is a new property since late 2021. It is our second house in the Staunton Historic District. Built in 1921, it has four efficiencies. It is a short walk from downtown where food pantry services and daily free lunches are located.