Virginia Beach nonprofit opens 38-unit housing for people exiting homelessness

Virginia Beach now has a new city-backed housing option for people exiting homelessness. The Judeo-Christian Outreach Center’s Macon & Joan Brock House has opened near the Oceanfront with 38 affordable units, and residents are expected to begin moving in by mid-July.

The project is more than a set of apartments. The city says tenants will receive onsite case management and supportive services, along with federal rental assistance through city-administered vouchers. Under that setup, renters will pay no more than 30% of their income toward rent, which is a key affordability threshold for households with very limited budgets.

How the city is involved

Virginia Beach says it contributed $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act and HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds toward the construction of the permanent supportive housing units. The city’s Housing & Neighborhood Preservation department will administer the vouchers for the homes.

That matters because supportive housing is designed for longer-term stability, not just short stays. The city described the June 17 ribbon cutting as a step in its broader housing work, and its Opening Doors housing page says the city is using partnerships, funding, and housing assistance programs to expand affordable housing opportunities.

Why this opening matters locally

For Virginia Beach, the new building adds a concrete housing option in a region where affordable units are still hard to find. WHRO reported that the apartments are near 17th Street at the Oceanfront and that the complex is intended to give homeless adults a place to live with support attached. The nonprofit also said residents will sign 12-month leases and be selected from a city-provided list.

That distinction is important. This is not a shelter, and it is not a temporary overflow site. It is permanent supportive housing with services built in, which can help residents work on substance use treatment, mental health, financial literacy, or job training while living in a stable home.

It is also a visible sign of how the city and nonprofit sector are trying to respond to homelessness one project at a time. The opening does not solve the housing shortage on its own, but it does add 38 units that can immediately serve people leaving homelessness in Virginia Beach.

For nearby residents, service providers, and housing advocates, the next date to watch is mid-July, when the first move-ins are expected to begin.

Sources

• City of Virginia Beach — Housing Matters: New Affordable Housing for Individuals Exiting Homelessness Opens in Virginia Beach
• City of Virginia Beach Housing Matters — Opening Doors initiative page
• WHRO/WMRA public media report — Virginia Beach nonprofit builds 38 new affordable apartments
• Judeo-Christian Outreach Center — Groundbreaking on the Betty Brown Chidester Campus