The City of Virginia Beach Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation (DHNP) will kick off a new housing and neighborhood preservation program with the start of a community-wide project to develop the city's first pattern book. The program, PREmier Homes and Neighborhoods, will provide and connect citizens to various resources and tools to help them preserve, renew and enhance ("PRE") their homes and neighborhoods.

The first phase of PREmier Homes and Neighborhoods is the development of a pattern book. This book will illustrate the various architectural housing styles and patterns found in the city's neighborhoods. It will be a tool that provides citizens with design guidelines consistent with the character and style of their neighborhood. Eventually the program also might include tax abatements, financial resources, and professional advice to assist citizens in home maintenance and improvement.

"We want the homes and neighborhoods in Virginia Beach to be places of choice, premier places to live," says Lanitha Hudson, the program's coordinator. "In order to do this, we must all work together in preserving, renewing and enhancing our homes and neighborhoods. This is the goal of the program."

To develop the pattern book, DHNP is soliciting the help of Virginia Beach citizens in

taking and submitting photos of the homes in their neighborhoods. The pictures will help

DHNP identify the city's different housing styles and neighborhood patterns and provide examples for the pattern book.

"The pattern book project is an exciting opportunity to engage citizens and to give them ownership of the PREmier Homes and Neighborhoods program," says Hudson. "By working with our citizens and using the resources we have here at the city, we'll be able to produce a cost-effective, professional and community-inspired product."

DHNP will be offering training throughout the city for civic leagues and citizens who are interested in participating in this project. The first two training sessions are from 7 to 9 p.m. and are scheduled as follows:

            Little Neck Planning Area                                     Bayside Planning Area   

            Tuesday, April 21                                                 Tuesday, May 5

            Kings Grant Elementary School                            Bayside High School

            612 North Lynnhaven Road                                  490 Haygood Road

Details about PREmier Homes and Neighborhoods, the pattern book project and future training sessions are available at www.VBgov.com/PREmier.

In 2008, City Council made the revitalization of neighborhoods one of its prioritized goals for the city over the next five years and on September 23, adopted a resolution to endorse the City of Virginia Beach Housing and Neighborhood Preservation Plan. The plan provides recommendations that address a collaborative process for neighborhood preservation and improvement on an ongoing, sustainable basis. It also addresses the types of tools that could be implemented to promote and provide incentives for the voluntary improvement of housing. PREmier Homes and Neighborhoods is the program developed from the plan's recommendations.

For more information, please call Housing Program Coordinator Lanitha Hudson at 385-5734.

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