Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Authority Name Change topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bristol council approves housing authority name change to Beyond Housing
Summary
The Bristol Virginia City Council approved a resolution permitting the Bristol Redevelopment and Housing Authority to change its name to Beyond Housing, following a staff report and public comment; the vote was 4–1.
The Bristol Virginia City council voted 4–1 on March 25 to approve a request from the Bristol Redevelopment and Housing Authority to change its name to Beyond Housing.
City Manager Randy reported that Virginia Code §36-4 was amended in 2022 to allow localities to approve a housing authority’s request to change its name, and that the authority’s board voted in January 2025 to adopt the new name. Ray Austin, deputy director of the housing authority, said the change is part of a broader effort to reflect services beyond traditional public housing: “We selected Beyond Housing because we really do go beyond just housing,” Austin said.
Why it matters: the name change is a rebranding aimed at reducing stigma attached to the phrase “housing authority” and to reflect expanded resident services and redevelopment work tied to the authority’s Choice Neighborhoods and other initiatives. Council members asked how the authority would avoid public confusion and whether the new branding would retain a clear link to the authority’s formal role.
Public comment: Frank Goodpaster III, a resident at 520 Lawrence Avenue, told council he opposed the change. “The name Housing and Beyond, I think is that what it is? That's kind of vacuous. I would strongly object to changing the name because the new name may last for a couple of years, but, over time, it presents problems,” Goodpaster said during public comment.
Council discussion focused on preserving clarity about the authority’s public role while allowing new branding. Authority representatives said the organization plans to use Beyond Housing as a public-facing brand while keeping a legal tagline—“the Housing Authority of the City of Bristol, Virginia”—to reduce confusion. Councilmember Osborne said he was concerned the new name could confuse residents searching for the housing authority; Osborne voted no. Others, including Councilmember Pollard and Mayor Becky Nave, said they trusted the authority’s board and supported the change.
The vote: Farnam — yes; Holmes — yes; Osborne — no; Pollard — yes; Nave — yes. The resolution passed 4–1. Staff said the authority’s bylaws have been updated and the change will be implemented in branding and documents going forward.
Next steps: With council approval, the authority will proceed with the new public name and retain the legal tagline to maintain clarity about its statutory role.
