From Church grounds to community homes
Free Press staff report | 9/25/2025, 6 p.m.
Bishop Barry Knestout of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond blesses the land of an affordable housing community in Richmond’s North Side during Commonwealth Catholic Charities’ groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 21. (Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press)
Plans for a new affordable housing complex in Richmond — years in the making — are now taking shape. The development, first proposed in 2019, will feature 56 rental homes spread across 14 buildings on a three-acre site. Designed for families earning 40% to 60% of the area median income, the complex will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. A tree-lined driveway, community playground and walking trail to a nearby elementary school are included in the design.
Commonwealth Catholic Charities (CCC) will also provide support for residents, including rent and utility assistance, financial counseling and access to food and nutritional programs. The property, once home to Saint Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church, was donated in 1923 and sat vacant after the 1980s. It is now being leased to the project by the Richmond Catholic Diocese under a 99-year ground agreement.
Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, speaks during the event. (Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press)
