The Virginia HRA & Eveleth HRA Offices are Now Open to the Public We encourage you to still contact us by email or phone when you can! COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information/Updates For questions about public housing, rental assistance, or to submit a work order at any of our properties, please call the main administrative office at (218)741-2610 or email us at frontdesk@vhra.org. If you are a resident and have an after-hours emergency work order, please contact the on-call Caretaker posted for your building or call the main office for further instructions. If you live at the Washington Manor, Laurentian Manor or Columbia/Rouchleau apartments, the property manager is available to assist you by phone during the office hours posted in your building. If you live at Clay Court (aka Hilltop Homes) in Eveleth, contact the office at (218)744-1010 for instructions. All of our offices also have drop boxes available for customers to drop off payments, applications and paperwork. For more detailed information on current operations of programs and all of the HRA sites, please review the "COVID-19 Message from the Executive Director & Action Plan" below. -COVID-19 Message from the Executive Director & Action Plan Updated 6-7-21 -HUD Waivers for Public Housing & Section 8 Programs (Virginia HRA & Eveleth HRA) Rev 5-4-21 -Operational Changes Update to Columbia/Rouchleau Tenants 4-21-21 -Operations Changes Update to Laurentian Manor Tenants 4-21-21 -Operations Changes Update to Washington Manor Tenants 4-21-21 -Dial Back MN Update Ltr to Laurentian Manor and Washington Manor Tenants 11-24-2020 -Dial Back MN Update Ltr to Columbia/Rouchleau Tenants 11-24-2020 -Renter's Rights During the Pandemic -Face Covering Letter to Residents 7-24-2020 -Emergency Executive Order 20-92, Extending Peacetime Emergency - Updated 10-12-2020 -Emergency Executive Order 20-79, Modifying the Suspension of Evictions in Minnesota -Columbia/Rouchleau Resident Update - 7/7/20; CDC Guidelines Referenced in Letter -Laurentian Manor Resident Update - 6/16/20; CDC Guidelines Referenced in Letter -Washington Manor Resident Update - 6/15/20; CDC Guidelines Referenced in Letter -Section 8 Landlord COVID-19 HUD FAQ's - Updated 6/9/20 -HUD Notice of Suspension of Evictions for Nonpayment of Rent -Virginia HRA April 1, 2020 Landlord Email Notification -Virginia HRA March 31, 2020 - Resident Update Letter -Virginia HRA March 16, 2020 - Community Room Closure & Office Contact Information -Virginia HRA March 13, 2020 Letter to Tenants The following are links that provide additional information about COVID-19: -St. Louis County COVID-19 Information Line: (218)625-3600 (answered M-F 8:00am to 4:30pm) -St. Louis County COVID-19 Information Website -Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Situation Update Site -Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline: (800)657-3903 -Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -World Health Organization (WHO) Are you behind on your rent? If you are living in Public Housing, Section 8 or other subsized housing and got behind on your rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, there may be help available to get you caught back up. Visit the Rent Help MN website here for more information on how to apply. About the Virginia Housing & Redevelopment Authority The Housing & Redevelopment Authority of Virginia, MN (VHRA) was organized in 1949. The organization is overseen by five commissioners with the day to day operations carried out by a staff of twenty employees. Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor of Virginia and serve five year terms.Since its inception, the VHRA has developed two hundred seventy-four units of public housing for families, elderly and disabled households. The VHRA owns and manages these units providing housing to over one thousand four hundred people. These units are instrumental in providing affordable housing to members of the community. The Housing Choice Voucher Program (aka Section 8) is delivered by the VHRA in all of Northern St. Louis County. Approved participants can use a voucher to help pay a portion of their rent payment while renting from a private landlord. In addition to the Public Housing and the Housing Choice Voucher Programs, the VHRA owns and operates the Laurentian Manor, 80 units of senior housing located on Bailey’s Lake and Alpine Village, 24 units of student housing located adjacent to Mesabi Community College. The VHRA provides apartment management services at the Washington Manor, a 63 unit elderly complex owned by the City of Virginia. The VHRA also partners with the Eveleth HRA and manages the Clay Court (aka Hilltop Homes) apartments. Virginia HRA Agency Plans The 2021-2022 annual and 2021 capital agency plans for the Public Housing and Section 8 Programs operated by the Virginia HRA are available for public comment. The plan can be viewed by selecting the link below or you may request a paper copy of the plans from the Virginia HRA Administrative Office during regular business hours. A public hearing on this plan will be conducted by the Virginia HRA Board of Commissioners at 3:30pm on January 13, 2021. The Hearing will be held in the Virginia HRA Administrative Office at 442 Pine Mill Court, Virginia, MN. If the office remains closed to the public on the hearing date due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the hearing will be accessible to those wishing to join by conference call. Call-in information will be posted on the Virginia HRA administrative office door or available prior to the hearing by contacting the office at (218)741-2610. Questions or comments on the plan should be directed to Dana Hiltunen, Executive Director, at dana@vhra.org or by calling (218)735-6309. Virginia HRA Plans Strategic Plan In 2019, the Virginia HRA developed and approved their 2019-2024 strategic plan. The planning team was comprised of the HRA Commissioners, Employees and Community Stakeholders. The team evaluated community data, statistics of who the HRA is serving and feedback from our residents, clients and landlords. This information guided the team to develop organizational values, new mission and vision statements and two priority goals. The plan guides the HRA's organizational decision making and resource allocation. Virginia HRA's Strategic Plan - Mission, Values, Vision, Goals Virginia Renewal Program The Virginia Neighborhood Renewal Program is an initiative brought to Virginia by the City of Virginia and the Virginia Housing & Redevelopment (VHRA) to help improve residential rental properties. Eligible property owners can apply for up to $500 per property to complete exterior improvements or improvements issued in a correction order by the Fire Marshal. Landlords must provide a 1 to 1 match. For more information on the program and an application, contact Susan Schechinger at (218)741-2610 or download the application below. Neighborhood Renewal Program Application VHRA COMMISSION MEMBERS Our commission members are appointed for a term of 5 years, to view a list of members click the link below. Commission Members