Our Knowledge and Experience

With over 100 years of combined experience in housing and land use planning, we have policy, program and operational experience doing real projects that created housing opportunities for thousands of people around the state.

Andrew Friedman:

Led and/or assisted in leading the complete physical revitalization of 10 historically African American neighborhoods in Virginia Beach, according to a plan approved by community leaders and adopted by City Council. Included construction of city water service, city sewer service, standard streets, stormwater drainage systems, complete housing rehabilitation, and the construction of infill housing. This project totaled over $50 million of Federal and local investment.

Led the design, creation, operational planning for, and operation of the Housing Resource Center, a $25 million, 1 stop shop for shelter, permanent housing and homeless services, unique in the region.

Supported the successful growth of the Virginia Beach CDC, a city-created non-profit that provides over 500 units of affordable housing and services to veterans and the homeless;

Effectively managed over $500 million in funding, from Federal, state, regional, private and local sources. Multiple audits, including annual city audits, and at least one Inspector General review have found only $86,000 that was questioned – less than 2/1000ths of 1%

Kellie Brown:

Leading planning and zoning reform to preserve and expand housing options in Arlington, Virginia: 

- by-right expansions, additions, and alterations to market-affordable nonconforming duplexes and apartment buildings 

- by-right duplexes, triplexes, and 4-6 unit apartment buildings in areas that previously allowed only single-household dwellings.

- bonus density for committed affordable housing units and market-affordable preservation strategies in County small area and corridor revitalization plans

- Langston Boulevard community revitalization corridor plan.

Coordination for partnership agreements to build over 800 units of publicly supported affordable housing in Charlottesville, Virginia

Training and educating for community members, staff, and elected and appointed officials on innovative strategies to expand housing options in state and regional conferences, community meetings, and Planning Commission and City Council meetings

Michelle Krocker:

We’ve done work for the following clients since starting our company in September, 2021:

• Housing Forward Virginia - assisting with a workshop for the Harrisonburg, VA. City Council on affordable housing

• Grant reviews for The Northern Virginia Regional Commission and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission

• Strategic Planning for the Waynesboro, Virginia and Town of Bedford Redevelopment and Housing Authorities

• Preliminary feasibility study for ForKids, Inc., Norfolk

• Strategic Planning for the ElderSpirit Development Corp, which manages a cohousing community in Abingdon

• The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation - white paper on the need for affordable rental housing

• A staffing-focused assessment for the Charlottesville Dept. of Neighborhood Development Services

• Virginia PACE Authority - local government outreach to establish energy efficiency and renewable energy program

• Virginia Housing Alliance - Video series on affordable housing for state legislators (in process)

Our Beliefs

• Everyone deserves an opportunity to have safe, affordable housing. 

• Affordable housing should be integrated into the community where it is located, and not isolated or identified differently.

• The public sector should continually work to expand housing opportunities to meet community needs, through strategies including public-private partnerships, inclusive long-range planning and zoning, community stakeholder connections, and efficient and responsible service delivery including supportive housing programs, property maintenance code enforcement, development review, permitting, and inspections.  

• Each person’s housing needs are different — people who have a temporary need should get temporary assistance. 

• People experiencing homelessness are not “the homeless.” There is a continuously changing group of people, each with their own unique strengths and vulnerabilities, who need opportunities to become housed — they are not defined by their housing status alone. 

• Housing should be integrated within and contribute to a safe, well-maintained community. be part of and contribute to a safe, well-maintained neighborhood.

Our Services

We draw on our knowledge, experiences, relationships and analytical abilities to provide insights to help you at all levels of work in housing, homelessness and neighborhood improvement — policy, programs, financial planning and management, and organizational design and planning.

We have worked closely with leading housing organizations, including Virginia Housing, Virginia Housing Alliance and Housing Forward Virginia, and can provide connections to them as needed.

Our Goals are Your Goals

We strive to help you achieve your goals to expand affordable housing opportunities, reduce and end homelessness, and support inclusive, sustainable communities.