United Way tells York County supervisors its regional assistance network has kept hundreds of households housed

United Way of the Virginia Peninsula told the York County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 18 that its Community Assistance Network, a centralized regional hotline and referral system, helped more than 161 households in York County in 2024 and roughly 10,000 people across the peninsula since the program launched.

United Way CEO (identified in the meeting as Miss West) said the network — a cooperative of about 150 partners, including faith groups, human services agencies and local charities — makes outcome-based referrals for basic needs, financial support and stabilization services so people can remain housed and keep working. "With CAN as our foundation, we've spent the last four years working to systematically and efficiently reduce evictions in our community," West said.

The presentation said the organization has run a state-funded eviction-reduction pilot since 2020, knitting state dollars with private funds and local services. West credited York County Housing and the county sheriff’s office as key partners in reduced lockouts and fewer landlord filings across the peninsula; she said landlord filings have decreased more than 20% in the last six quarters. "In York County specifically, while the volume of unlawful detainer filings and executed evictions ebb and flow, the volume here is one of the lowest in the region," she said.

Board members asked how the program is alerted to filings and how it intervenes. West said CAN receives thousands of calls and also works directly with landlords, property managers and court navigation services so people facing eviction are connected to financial assistance, workforce services, childcare or other supports. "We get engaged both when people call us and because landlords and courts know where to refer," she said.

Supervisor comments on the presentation were largely supportive; board members thanked United Way for its work and noted the role local partnerships — including the sheriff's department — play in keeping evictions brief and humane. The board did not take any formal action on the presentation.

Ending: United Way urged continued county-nonprofit collaboration and noted that its data-driven referrals and court navigation services have been a central component of the peninsula's eviction-reduction efforts. The nonprofit said it stands ready to deploy resources quickly during disasters and other urgent needs.