Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is a state government agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The department administers programs related to housing, homelessness services, community development, building and fire regulations, economic revitalization, and broadband deployment.^[1][2]

The department was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1977 as part of the executive department of state government.^[3] It is headed by a director appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly.^[3]

DHCD operates under the Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade.^[4] Its headquarters are in Richmond, Virginia.^[1] Tamarah Holmes was appointed director of the department in 2026.^[5]

DHCD works with local governments, planning district commissions, nonprofit organizations, private-sector partners, and federal agencies on housing and community development programs in Virginia.^[1] The department administers state and federal grants and provides staff support for programs related to affordable housing, homelessness, community revitalization, broadband, building codes, and fire regulations.^[1]

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission has described DHCD as Virginia’s lead state agency for housing programs, while Virginia Housing serves as the state’s housing finance agency.^[2] DHCD administers housing programs related to affordable housing development, homelessness services, eviction reduction, housing rehabilitation, and local housing planning.^[1]

The department also has responsibilities related to manufactured-home communities. In 2024, Virginia Mercury reported that DHCD had received 146 notices of intent to sell or purchase manufactured-home parks since 2020, reflecting state oversight connected to mobile-home park sales and resident protections.^[6]

The department administers programs supporting downtown revitalization, community planning, infrastructure, and local economic development. These programs include the Virginia Main Street Program, Community Development Block Grant programs, Industrial Revitalization Fund, and other grant programs for local governments and community organizations.^[1] In 2023, Cardinal News reported on state revitalization awards connected to DHCD programs for mixed-use buildings and housing preservation in downtown areas.^[7]

DHCD supports the administration of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and related building and fire regulations. The Uniform Statewide Building Code applies to the construction, maintenance, repair, renovation and change of use of buildings and structures in Virginia. The Board of Housing and Community Development adopts and amends the code, while local governments generally enforce it.^[8] State building-code issues handled through DHCD have also been covered in Virginia housing-policy reporting, including proposals related to multifamily building design and stairway requirements.^[9]

DHCD’s Office of Broadband administers Virginia’s state broadband programs and serves as the state point of contact for broadband-related activities.^[10] The office’s work includes broadband infrastructure grants, mapping, line-extension assistance, broadband adoption, and digital opportunity initiatives.^[11]

The Virginia Telecommunication Initiative, commonly known as VATI, is a state broadband grant program administered by DHCD. The program supports broadband expansion to unserved areas through partnerships between local governments and internet service providers.^[12] The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission described VATI as a program that supplements construction costs by private-sector broadband providers in partnership with local governments to extend service to unserved areas.^[13]

In 2024, Virginia awarded $41.6 million in VATI broadband grants to multiple localities, including communities in Southwest and Southside Virginia.^[14]

DHCD administers Virginia’s participation in the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD). Virginia was allocated approximately $1.48 billion through BEAD, part of a national $42.45 billion broadband program administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.^[15][16]

In 2025, Cardinal News reported that Virginia’s BEAD process had been affected by federal rule changes and that DHCD had published updated recommendations for broadband awards and locations.^[17] Later that year, the outlet reported that federal approval allowed Virginia to proceed with plans to connect about 133,000 residences, businesses, and community buildings to high-speed internet service.^[18]

DHCD maintains broadband mapping resources used to identify unserved and underserved areas in the state. Cardinal News reported in 2023 that DHCD worked with Virginia Tech’s Center for Geospatial Information Technology to compare Virginia broadband mapping data with the federal broadband map, a process that helped Virginia identify additional broadband-deficient locations and increase its expected BEAD allocation.^[19] DHCD also maintains the Commonwealth Connection broadband availability map.^[20]

The department has also led state planning related to digital opportunity and broadband adoption. DHCD documents state that the governor and General Assembly designated the Office of Broadband to lead Virginia’s digital opportunity planning work under federal digital equity programs.^[21]

The Line Extension Customer Assistance Program, or LECAP, supports the extension of existing broadband networks to low- and moderate-income residents whose homes require additional construction to connect to broadband infrastructure.^[22] Local governments and regional broadband providers have publicized the program as a way to help residents cover broadband line-extension or “long drop” costs.^[23][24]

• Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade
• Virginia Housing
• Community Development Block Grant
• Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program