Leesburg renews customer-assistance agreement with Loudoun Cares; 10 residents received aid in first year

The Leesburg Town Council voted on May 27 to renew the Leesburg Customer Assistance Program (LCAP) grant agreement with Loudoun Cares for fiscal year 2026.

Laura Jackson, assistant director of utilities, presented program results and recommended renewal for another year. She told council that since the program launched in July 2024 with $100,000 in funding, 23 residents had requested assistance; 10 met eligibility and received aid, while 13 did not (five exceeded income thresholds, five were unresponsive or did not complete paperwork, one did not reside in town, and two had already paid their bills). Jackson said the program had dispersed about $4,931 to date and had an available balance of $81,669.

Council discussion

Councilmembers asked for more data and suggested follow-up work to improve program reach. Councilmember Cummings asked whether the town could survey applicants to learn why some did not complete applications; he also requested information about the income thresholds for those who were over the limit. "I would love to, if we could work with Loudoun Cares to have some surveying done," Cummings said. Other members asked whether the town should re-bid the administration of the program or consider other organizations; staff said they were recommending renewal with Loudoun Cares given the preexisting agreement but would consider future options.

Administration costs

Jackson said the original LCAP launch included $886,600 for assistance and $13,400 for administration; only about $1,000 of the administrative amount had been expended so far because the administration payments are tied to the number of applications processed.

Vote and next steps

Council approved the renewal by resolution; the vote was 6-1. Staff will continue to promote the program, work with Loudoun Cares to reduce response times, and provide follow-up data on applicant demographics and reasons for ineligibility at the council's request.

Why it matters

LCAP is a one-time, council-funded program established to assist utility customers in financial need. The council emphasized wanting better data to ensure eligible households know about and can access the benefit.