Board preserves several one‑time social‑service items in chair’s mark amid budget uncertainty

Arlington County Board members indicated support during a fiscal‑2026 chair’s mark work session for multiple one‑time social‑service appropriations, including a local childcare subsidy pilot, food security mini‑grants, supplemental housing grants and a $1 million contingency for homeless services contract increases, while reserving the right to revisit amounts if revenues fall short.

Board member Ms. Coffey described a proposed temporary local childcare subsidy for families eligible for state subsidy but not yet served, calling it a pilot she would not want to cut below $200,000. She said the subsidy targets families “who are already eligible for state subsidy” and noted that state eligibility is well below Arlington’s median income. The board discussed a smaller down payment ($100,000) already in the mark and Ms. Coffey said she would like to preserve up to $300,000 for the program if funds allow.

On food security, members said the county’s mini‑grant program had performed well in prior rounds and supported retaining $150,000 in one‑time funding. Relatedly, board members approved restoring a supplemental housing grants appropriation and expressed unanimous support for certain housing and homeless services items. The board heard from staff that negotiations on two homeless services contracts remain active and that an additional $1 million in one‑time funds is the current estimate needed to close those contracts; staff stressed that once contracts are executed those costs would move to ongoing budgets where appropriate.

Board members also prioritized an appropriation for a public defender reentry coordinator fellowship (roughly $107,150) and endorsed funding for the Commonwealth’s Attorney to add temporary communications staff and convert a position to deputy attorney where justified. Several members described the reentry coordinator as a top equity and public‑safety priority, with Ms. Coffey calling it “one of my top choices to retain no matter what.”

Ending: The board’s guidance preserved these one‑time social‑service investments in the chair’s mark, with the caveat that staff will return with updated revenue and WMATA allocation information in June and that amounts could be revised then. No final appropriation vote occurred at the work session.