On Thursday of this week, I joined Deputy City Manager Shasa Curl and Richmond Housing Authority Director Nannette Beacham in a tour of the under construction Hacienda Housing project. Some eight years ago, the Hacienda became the poster child for underfunded public housing and alleged mismanagement. The City of Richmond moved aggressively to relocate tenants and transition the property to a nonprofit affordable housing developer, Mercy Housing.

In May of 2021, ground was broken for a top to bottom rehabilitation by Nibbi Brothers Construction. The project is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2022 and will become the home for 150 income-qualified residents.

Following are construction photographs showing progress:

Figure 1 - Project Superintendent Michael Kaplan of Nibbi

Figure 2 - Nibbi crew

Figure 3- Interiors gutted with all new framing, finishes and utilities

Figure 4 - Interior courtyard

Figure 5 - North exterior

Figure 6 - Courtyard at ground level