Former Tidewater Gardens Residents See Progress as Norfolk Redevelopment Continues

Report shows gains in income, education, and health coverage for residents connected to the People First support program.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 10:52pm

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An abstract, impressionistic photograph in soft focus, with blurred figures and buildings in a neighborhood setting, conveying a sense of community and change.As the Tidewater Gardens redevelopment progresses, former residents are finding stability and opportunity through the People First support program.Norfolk Today

The City of Norfolk's Year 6 Impact Report on the St. Paul's Area Transformation Project indicates that former residents of the Tidewater Gardens public housing community are seeing improvements in key areas like income, education, and health coverage as the redevelopment of their neighborhood, now called Kindred, moves forward. The report tracks outcomes tied to the People First supportive services program, which provides individualized coaching and referrals to help families before, during, and after relocation.

Why it matters

The redevelopment of Tidewater Gardens is part of a larger effort by the City of Norfolk and the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) to transform aging public housing into a mixed-use, mixed-income community. The progress reported for former Tidewater Gardens residents shows that the supportive services provided through People First are having a positive impact and helping residents build long-term stability as they transition to the new Kindred neighborhood.

The details

The report found that the average annual income for residents connected to People First rose to $29,173 in Year 6, up from the previous year, with 75% of adults employed and earning income. It also showed improvements in on-time graduation rates (92%), early learning enrollment (66%), and health insurance coverage (96% of residents, 100% for children). More than 100 families have already returned to the redeveloped Kindred community, out of the original 618 households that were part of Tidewater Gardens. The People First program, which launched in 2018, provides services like job training, housing stability support, and help navigating the return process for residents.

  • The Year 6 Impact Report tracks outcomes from the People First program since its launch in 2018.
  • Construction on the first low-density family homes at Kindred, called Kinship at Kindred, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
  • The full Tidewater Gardens redevelopment is expected to wrap up by early 2028.
  • The grand opening celebration for Unity Place at Kindred, which includes 140 apartments and commercial space, is set for May 8, 2026.

The players

Steve Morales

Interim deputy executive director and chief development officer at the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA).

Dr. Susan Perry

Director of housing and community development for the City of Norfolk.

Nicole Brown

Director of operations at Urban Strategies, Inc., which runs the People First program.

Julius Norman

Vice president of client services at the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA).

Kindred

The new mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood being developed on the site of the former Tidewater Gardens public housing community.

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What they’re saying

“This is a complete transformation.”

— Steve Morales, Interim deputy executive director and chief development officer at NRHA

“The biggest impact has really been the success of residents.”

— Dr. Susan Perry, Director of housing and community development for the City of Norfolk

“We have 574 households out of the original 618 households we still are connected to. So, 94% of the population that was here, we're still supporting each and every one of those households each month.”

— Nicole Brown, Director of operations at Urban Strategies, Inc.

“We have stories of folk who actually have had 10, 15, 20 thousand dollars in escrow money saved, and went out and bought homes.”

— Julius Norman, Vice president of client services at NRHA

What’s next

The City of Norfolk expects the Kinship at Kindred portion of the project, including townhouses and cottages, to be completed by December 2026. The full Tidewater Gardens redevelopment is expected to wrap up by early 2028. Planning for the redevelopment of the Young Terrace and Calvert Square communities is still underway, with a potential working start date of 2027.

The takeaway

The progress reported for former Tidewater Gardens residents connected to the People First program demonstrates the positive impact that comprehensive supportive services can have in helping families navigate the challenges of public housing redevelopment. As the Kindred neighborhood takes shape, this model of individualized coaching and referrals could serve as a blueprint for other communities undergoing similar transformations.