HENRICO COUNTY, VA — For Yvettrise Hoskie, owning a home was something she pictured for years before it finally happened last December. The first-time buyer and mother of a 14-year-old son said the process moved quickly once she found the right home and completed the paperwork. By the time she got back home, she said, her purchase had already been approved.
Now eight months into homeownership, Hoskie says the house gave her more than a place to live. She credits Henrico County’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund with helping make the purchase possible, and she described the result in personal terms: “This is my peace.”
Program Numbers And Savings
Henrico officials say Hoskie is one of 87 new homeowners who have come through the program since it launched in 2024. Community revitalization director Eric Leabough said the county uses revenue generated by data centers to help reduce the cost of homes for qualifying residents at the closing table.
Leabough said the county is also waiving some building permit fees and offering credits for water and sewer connection charges. On average, he said, buyers are saving between $80,000 and $90,000 through the direct funding alone, and the added fee relief increases the total savings by another $12,000 per home.
How The Fund Works
Leabough said the county’s money does not arrive as a traditional subsidy after the sale. Instead, it lowers the purchase price during closing, which makes the home more affordable for first-time buyers who qualify. The program is tied to a broader effort to increase the number of homes available at prices local workers and families can manage.
Officials say the trust fund relies on a revenue stream from Henrico’s data center activity, turning that growth into support for housing affordability. County leaders have presented the program as a way to stretch public dollars beyond one-time help by combining direct funding with fee waivers and utility connection credits.
What Happens Next
Thursday’s ribbon cutting at the Fairway Subdivision marked the county’s latest step in that effort. Of the 290 homes planned there, 110 are expected to be available through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and 34 buyers have already completed purchases. Another 385 homes are in the pipeline with funding already set aside to bring down costs.
For renters and would-be buyers in Henrico, the immediate question is how many homes will ultimately qualify and how quickly the remaining closings move. The county has not said how long the current pricing structure will last, but residents can track updates through Henrico County’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund announcements and public housing-related meetings.
More on what homes, rents and new builds are doing near you, on RHS Commoner.
