Charlottesville housing authority outlines $6.36 million capital plan; $1.5M added for 2024 interior renovations

Brandon Collins, redevelopment coordinator for the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, presented a draft five-year Capital Fund Program (CFP) for 2025–2029 and described a newly available $1.5 million in additional HUD capital funds for 2024 that will speed interior renovations at scattered-site public housing.

Collins said the housing authority budgeted $1,270,000 for the most recent year and built the five-year plan on an anticipated $6,360,000 total. He described how the CFP differs from the authority’s operating fund and said the capital fund “comes as a grant from HUD” that requires a five-year plan, a resident advisory board consultation, a public comment period, a public hearing and board approval. Collins also cited 24 CFR part 903 as the federal regulation governing the resident advisory board process.

Why it matters: The plan directs most capital money to scattered-site single-family homes — the authority’s “parallel track” — and to a small set of authority-wide investments, rather than to large sites already slated for redevelopment. Collins said that because redevelopment reduces the number of public housing units in service, future CFP allocations could decline, so the authority aims to obligate and spend funds sooner rather than later. He said moving to “high performer” status under HUD’s assessment could yield roughly 15% more capital funding.

Key planned spending and recent activity - The authority reported spending more than $2,000,000 in 2023 on exterior work at scattered sites (roofing, siding, windows) and playground improvements funded largely by AIG. - Collins said the Riverside HVAC project is substantially complete and that work to provide supporting electric service at Mickey Drive is underway. He said some HVAC installation work will be performed by the authority’s own crew. - The authority plans interior modernizations (bathrooms and kitchens, new floors, interior doors, paint) at parallel-track scattered sites; Collins said the additional $1.5 million in 2024 will be used to accelerate that work and return the authority to its original interior-renovation timetable. - The draft 2025–2029 allocation summary in the presentation included roughly $900,000 for authority-wide items, $1,200,000 for West Haven (AMP 1) to support initial phases of redevelopment, and about $4,200,000 for scattered single-family sites.

Collins described implementation steps: continued resident polling and meetings to select materials and colors, a required written response to Resident Advisory Board (FAR) comments by March 20, a public hearing at the next Board of Commissioners meeting, and a planned board vote (Collins referenced March 24 as a target date). He noted that some interior renovations will require temporary relocation of families — likely about a week — and the plan includes relocation dollars allowed under HUD rules.

Questions and limits of authority Board members asked for clarification on how to achieve HUD’s “high performer” status; Collins said that score reflects combined ratings of physical conditions, operations (including lease-up and rent collection), and financial metrics such as months of operating reserve and tenant accounts receivable. He cautioned that tenant accounts receivable is the most significant remaining weakness for the authority’s HUD score.

Next steps and public process Collins said staff will continue door-knocking and resident meetings at scattered sites, respond to FAR comments in writing, hold a public hearing at the board meeting, and bring the CFP back to the board for approval. No formal action on the CFP occurred during the work session; the only formal motion recorded in the transcript was a procedural motion to adjourn, which passed.

Ending: The board’s formal public hearing and any final vote on the CFP are scheduled for an upcoming Board of Commissioners meeting; staff materials and the draft plan will be available to the public in advance of that hearing.