About South Hampton Roads Regional Task Force

The South Hampton Roads Regional Task Force on Ending Homelessness is a collaboration of seven localities in Virginia -- the Cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Isle of Wight County -- and non-profit organizations, The Planning Council and United Way of South Hampton Roads.

Formed in 2005, the task force is the "working group" that implements the regional activities approved by the Mayors and Chairs of these localities. It consists of staff participants from a variety of offices in the localities, all dedicated to getting regional projects accomplished. Together, through the task force, these localities and organizations address homelessness on a regional basis as an addition to each locality's individual efforts.

As a result of their regional cooperation, the South Hampton Roads Regional Task Force on Ending Homelessness has achieved major successes in raising awareness, building new housing units, leveraging funding, and expanding access to existing housing.

Major Accomplishments Include:

• Regional Efficiency Apartments: Each complex provides units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless single adults in the region. These projects have decreased homelessness and added to the stock of permanent supportive housing in South Hampton Roads. They also enhance the physical quality of the community y transforming vacant property or dilapidated structures into quality, viable housing and tax-generating properties in the cities where they are located. A total of 400 units of affordable housing have been created in four cities:
  • Gosnold in Norfolk
  • Cloverleaf in Virginia Beach
  • South Bay in Portsmouth
  • Heron's Landing in Chesapeake
  • Crescent Square in Virginia Beach
  • Church Street Station Studios in Norfolk​
• Hosting conferences to share national best practices and promote strategic planning in addressing homelessness. ​