In the complex and overlapping space of housing and community development, The Spark Mill had the opportunity to center in on one particular region in the spring of 2023. SAW Housing, the Virginia-based housing initiative with a mission to create solutions that house everyone in Staunton, Augusta County, and Waynesboro, reached out looking for guidance in developing their first housing summit. What began as a consulting project solely focused on the planning of the summit, evolved into a much more collaborative and comprehensive look at the transformative impact SAW Housing had on bringing its broader community of housing organizations together in synergy and alliance around their common goal.

With support from TSM consultants Avi Hopkins & Chris Bennett, the project cascaded out, inviting curiosity around next steps for the housing initiative, asking, what could happen after the summit was all said and done?
At The Spark Mill, we often question what change can cultivate beyond the checking of a box and how organizations can use these tools to continue forward-moving work. This project had many unexpected and rewarding outcomes for all that were involved, and through the work, allowed SAW Housing to envision a future where more was possible.

Just as The Spark Mill wrapped up its last session with SAW Housing’s Working Groups this month, we spoke with Dan Layman, President & CEO at the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge about his experience with change throughout the project. Dan expressed he was pleasantly surprised at how quickly Avi & Chris became folded into their work, not just as consultants but as partners in SAW’s mission and commitment. With TSM’s collaborative facilitations in planning and process, SAW’s own planning team was able to take a step back and truly participate in the project instead of just playing a role in coordination. It soon became clear that no one single organization could achieve what the initiative was setting out to do on their own, meaning it would require cross-collaboration across sectors and consideration of voices that were not currently present at the table.

It was then that the project around the summit shifted from merely organizing how a group of people could gather to share ideas around affordable housing in their region, to adopting a holistic approach and deeply exploring how to effectively bring together not only partners in housing, statewide experts, and other municipalities, but also community members directly experiencing housing insecurity. By bringing lived experiences to the forefront and identifying all the ways housing was connected to other facets of the community, such as economy and healthcare, the initial summit served as the beginning of a thread, weaving together that complex space of people and ideas into a more closely knit, informed network.

Following the first summit in October 2023, the energy of SAW Housing’s community was palpable in their desire to keep the ball rolling. Organizations had developed new partnerships and real tangible goals were realized, making way for the creation of a second summit in June of 2024 to talk about the possible next steps. This was a chance to share progress and a process to keep these discussions and actions around affordable housing top of mind for all involved in the initiative. The ongoing collaboration between SAW Housing & The Spark Mill would establish the kick-off of SAW’s Working Groups, an opportunity for housing issue-specific and research-oriented small groups to congregate, learn, and share. Through building continuous engagement on a smaller scale in between larger gatherings such as summits and consortiums, the housing ecosystem was able to maintain its connectivity and growing momentum.

Often, the most transformative ideas emerge from the most unexpected circumstances or overlooked details. The journey with SAW Housing exemplified this beautifully. By embracing the chance opportunities and adapting to the evolving needs of the initiative, the partnership between The Spark Mill and SAW Housing discovered that true progress often lies beyond the initial scope of expectations. This experience reinforced the importance of remaining open to new perspectives and flexibility in our approach. And, it is clear that through ongoing dedication to the groundwork laid by this project, lasting impacts can be achieved to create a resilient housing network capable of driving meaningful change.