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Charlottesville outlines HOPS and CAF recommendations as requests far outstrip available $575,000
Summary
Staff and the CAF committee recommended stretching $575,000 in Housing Operations and Program Support (HOPS) funding across 16 applications; staff told council recommended awards would range from 15% to 73% of requested amounts and that final approvals are subject to council and executive review.
Charlottesville staff told the City Council that the Housing Operations and Program Support (HOPS) program received 16 FY26 applications requesting about $1.47 million while only $575,000 is budgeted for HOPS in the Community Assistance Fund (CAF).
Misty Graves, director of the Department of Human Services, and staff described the HOPS application process: a NOFA published in August, workshops, a committee review and a multi-stage scoring system. Applications were first screened for completeness; only A and B groupings advanced to scoring. The HOPS scoring rubric covers program effectiveness, organizational strength and community alignment across dozens of factors.
Staff said the CAF committee recommended partial awards designed to stretch the $575,000 across successful applicants; recommended awards would cover roughly 15% to 73% of the amounts requested. Staff cautioned that awards are not final until council discussion and executive‑team context review.
Why it matters: Councilors pressed staff for more detail about which applicants would be funded and which would not, and asked whether organizations not funded in HOPS could receive support from other budget lines. Councilors also asked for clarity on how fundamental and intergovernmental agencies are being treated separately from HOPS and VCF rounds.
Details and compliance: Staff said award agreements must be signed within three months of council approval and funds must be spent within 24 months, with quarterly reporting required. Staff said compliance with reporting has improved to about 75–80% following grants-team changes.
Council reaction: Councilors emphasized the importance of eviction prevention and case management given potential changes such as Medicaid expansion. Council members asked staff to return with full written reports and the list of applicants who did not receive funding so councilors could consider reallocating discretionary funds or off‑cycle request money.
Ending: Staff will deliver a written CAF/HOPS award report in the final budget packet and noted the CAF list of awardees would also be on the next council meeting agenda for adoption and additional discussion.
