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 In January 1958, at the
request of the City of Hampton's Council, the Virginia General Assembly
amended the Charter of the City to allow the City to establish a
redevelopment and housing authority. The Hampton Redevelopment and
Housing Authority held its organizational meeting on April 23, 1958.
The Authority's initial
focus in the late '50s and early '60s was the redevelopment of downtown
Hampton; future projects involved the redevelopment of Phoebus and
Buckroe. The Authority handled property acquisition, demolition,
clearance, and the re-planning, rehabilitating and reconstructing of
these areas in accordance with Federal and State redevelopment and
housing laws. Starting in the late '60s and early '70s, the
Authority developed three public housing apartment complexes in order to
proved decent, safe and sanitary housing to low income citizens of
Hampton. In the mid '70s, the Authority began administering the
Section 8 Housing Assistance Program, and in the early '80s, the
Authority redeveloped apartments that became known as Langley Village.
As the years have gone by, the Housing Authority has evolved into a
multi-faceted agency. By the mid '90s, the City contracted with
the Authority to administer the HOME Program and the housing portions of
the Community Development Block Grant Program on behalf of the City, and
the Authority began to focus on community development and homeownership
programs - which continue today.
Each year the Authority
has continued to provide housing assistance to approximately 5% of the
families residing in Hampton. Our past successes would not have
been possible without the dedication and support of the Board of
Commissioners, the commitment of the Authority's staff, and our
community partners. Over the years, the Housing Authority has
helped make Hampton a more livable city. We look forward to
continuing that tradition for another 50 years.
Sincerely,
Frank A. Lofurno, Jr., Executive Director
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