Wealth Opportunities Realized Through Homeownership (WORTH) RVA is a resource for first-time homebuyers in Central Virginia.

WORTH RVA envisions reconciliation and healing through equitable homeownership, wealth building, and economic opportunity. The program supports housing counseling and for families in underserved areas that have historically experienced systemic barriers to homeownership. In addition to housing counseling, the initiative provides downpayment assistance to eligible families based on their need.

Homeownership is an essential component of financial stability, economic growth, and community preservation. It's also one of the most effective ways to create wealth for the next generation. But the process can feel overly complicated and frustrating. WORTH RVA is an initiative to help support communities who have historically faced barriers to homeownership.

If you are in need of downpayment assistance, housing counseling services, or are interested in joining a homebuyer's club, connect with one of our WORTH RVA partners below:

Better Housing Coalition

BHC's Homebuyer’s Club supports renters who want to buy a home with services to assist with credit repair, budgeting, down payment assistance sources, and training on homeownership responsibilities and maintenance. After completing the club program, participants whom obtain a mortgage approval letter and receive up to a $1,000 stipend to apply to their closing costs associated with a new home. Visit their website here.

Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia

HOME's HUD-certified housing counselors provide pre‐purchase counseling services to clients virtually and/or in‐person covering steps to homeownership, managing money, identifying the client’s housing need, and homeownership goals and action plan to become mortgage ready. Additionally, HOME of Virginia may administer available financial assistance to resolve homeownership barriers by paying judgments, charge offs and collections, and administer available down payment and closing cost assistance. The assistance may be up to $10,000. Visit their website here.

Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation

SCDHC's HUD-certified housing counselors provide pre‐purchase counseling services to clients virtually and/or in‐person classes, covering the steps to homeownership, managing money, identifying the client’s housing need, and homeownership goals and action plans to become mortgage ready. Additionally, SCDHC may administer available financial assistance to resolve homeownership barriers by paying judgments, charge offs and collections, and administer available down payment and closing cost assistance. The assistance may be up to $10,000. Visit their website here.

Heirs' Property Network

“Heirs' property” refers to real estate where the legal ownership of the property is unclear due to a previous owner having passed away. This can happen because the original owner died without a will ("intestate") and property was transferred to all living heirs of the deceased, determined by state law, creating multiple owners of a property or "tenants in common." The surviving owners may not even be named on the deed, live on the property, or be aware they have heirs' property. Heirs' property can also be created when someone passes away and has a will that names multiple heirs to one property without outlining the specific portions of the land, creating “cloudy title” and unclear ownership.

RHPN connects heirs' property clients in Richmond, Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Henrico, and Chesterfield to free legal assistance and $7,500 to pay court fees and other needs. To qualify for this assistance, you and your heirs' property must reside within our service area (Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Petersburg, Hopewell, or Colonial Heights), and your household must earn less than 120% of the Richmond Area Median Income annually.

Other Heirs' Property Resources:

About the WORTH RVA Collaborative

Led by LISC, WORTH RVA is a collaborative of housing partners dedicated to leveling the playing field and providing needed resources to aspiring home buyers. Collaborative members include Better Housing Coalition, Chamber RVA, Crater Planning Commission, HDAdvisors, HOME, Partnership for Housing Affordability, PlanRVA, project:HOMES, Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation, Virginia Dept. of Housing and Community Development, and Virginia Housing.

The WORTH collaborative is working together to implement a variety of strategies to expand housing inventory and support homebuyers, including:

Comprehensive outreach and education campaigns
Increasing access to flexible, affordable mortgage products
Innovations that reduce construction costs and enhance capacity to deliver more housing stock
Continuing policy efforts to address systemic barriers impacting homeownership

WORTH RVA is dedicating over $5 million in funding resources across the Richmond housing ecosystem. The funding will build capacity for housing education, judgment charge-off, credit help, Heirs’ Property Program, Homebuyers Clubs, website resource tool, and down payment assistance and nonprofit capacity building. Through our Heirs’ Property Network, we can also help existing homeowners clear title to benefit from the equity in their home. These strategic resources underscore WORTH's comprehensive approach to addressing various aspects of the homeownership journey. We are resolute in our dedication to making a lasting impact on the wealth gap among BIPOC communities, in addition to fostering sustainable homeownership for years to come.

RHPN is funded through a Wells Fargo Foundation WORTH grant to LISC Virginia. Our team consists of HDAdvisors and LEARN VA, managed by Karla Carter, Esq., with a local network of trained pro-bono attorneys from participating firms.

Contact

Jonathan Adkins-Taswell, Program Officer for Housing and Capacity Building