Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) has announced the recipients of the 2023 USVI Housing Ecosystem Development Grants, which will provide funding, training and technical assistance to support local organizations in the U.S. Virgin Islands that are developing affordable housing for residents. Enterprise also announced the program’s official launch event, to take place Tuesday, Aug. 1.
The launch event will celebrate the local grant recipients and inform attendees about the challenges and opportunities related to affordable housing development in the territory. The USVI Housing Ecosystem Development Grants program is made possible by a $400,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY).
This year’s USVI Housing Ecosystem Development Grant winners represent all three major islands in the USVI (St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John) and they will each receive a grant of up to $100,000, along with curriculum-based training and networking programs to expand the organization’s capacities for affordable housing development. The selected grantees are:
- St. Croix Foundation for Community Development: A nonprofit organization on St. Croix that is dedicated to holistic community development.
- WMWilliams & Partners Inc.: A construction and development firm in St. Thomas that is committed to developing residential multi-unit properties.
- Adrian Realty, LLC: A developer serving the St. John community through mixed-income affordable housing units.
The USVI Housing Ecosystem Development Grant Program Launch Event is free and open to the public. The event will celebrate the 2023 grantees detailed above. It will also provide a networking opportunity with housing providers and stakeholders, and guide a discussion about the common challenges, opportunities and available resources to affordable housing advocates in the USVI. The event details are:
- When: Tuesday, August 1 | 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Where: Brass Parrot Meeting Room, Buccaneer Resort on St. Croix (5007 Estate Shoys, Christiansted, VI 00824)
Since 2017, Enterprise has actively supported housing recovery and resilience efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization’s central focus is on empowering community-based organizations, supporting community development, and promoting resilience goals. This focus is crucial to the islands, especially as they continue their recovery from the devastating 2017 category 5 hurricanes, Maria and Irma.
While the USVI government largely handles affordable housing, encouraging more private engagement in local housing and community development efforts can help address the significant need remaining for affordable homes. With the help of FHLBNY’s grant, Enterprise will provide funding, training and other assistance to strengthen these local organizations, enabling them to offer more much-needed affordable housing for residents.
“Ensuring affordable homes for Virgin Islanders entails empowering and nurturing the growth of local organizations with a firsthand understanding of the community’s needs,” said Jelani Newton, senior director, Advisors at Enterprise Community Partners. “We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York for their generous grant, as it will play a pivotal role in creating sustainable and affordable homes for residents and in extending the capacity of local organizations to provide those homes.”
“At the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, we know that a stable and affordable home is the foundation from which individuals, families and communities grow and flourish,” said José R. González, president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.
“Enterprise Community Partners’ Housing Ecosystem Grant Development Program is an extraordinary opportunity to empower local organizations to enhance their ability to create more of these opportunities for the Virgin Islands. We are thrilled to be able to support such vital work, and excited to be a part of the Program launch,” said José R. González.
Please RSVP by July 31 if you are interested in attending the USVI Housing Ecosystem Development Grant Program Launch Event.
