Charlottesville housing authority outlines eviction-diversion expansion as referrals surge
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Summary
CRHA staff reported 106 families currently enrolled in an eviction diversion program, said 16 court filings were successfully diverted last year, and proposed a pilot to zero up to $500 of arrears in exchange for work and job supports while asking the board to help advocate for city funding.
The Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority heard a detailed update on its eviction diversion program Tuesday, with staff reporting that 106 families are currently enrolled and 16 previously filed evictions were diverted through coordinated funding and casework.
Staff said the authority is expanding early referrals and partnership-based interventions to prevent filings from becoming completed evictions. "We have 106 families currently enrolled in EDP," Miss Banks told the board, summarizing participation and outcomes across sites.
Why it matters: board members and staff emphasized that early intervention reduces legal costs and housing loss, while shrinking agency resources make targeted prevention more urgent. Staff flagged a median back-rent amount of about $732 across sites and said referrals to the program increased 55 percent from October to January.
What staff said: presenters said the program prioritizes public-housing and subsidized-portfolio tenants and tracks both rent and 'nonrent' lease violations (nonrent refers to lease compliance issues rather than fees). Miss Banks explained that some families exit the program without diversion — "exiting" can mean a household stopped participating and does not necessarily mean an eviction was prevented — while others who reached formal court filings were successfully diverted. "Of those total, 16 evictions were diverted through funds," she said.
A proposed pilot: staff described a pilot modeled on a Flint, Mich., food-bank program that would allow residents to work for a nonprofit to pay down arrears. Mister Sales described a local version that would "zero out up to $500 per family" while paying residents roughly $15 an hour for work and matching resident payments — a change from earlier pilots that capped matches at $300. Sales framed the pilot as a way to pair debt reduction with job skills and budgeting assistance.
Funding and advocacy: presenters warned that federal HUD funding is declining and local rental-assistance pools are constrained. Staff said they will ask the city for an initial allocation to seed the pilot and encouraged the board to support the request by emailing council and attending budget work sessions. "I think emailing city council and attending budget work sessions... advocating for this to be a priority is important," Councilor Payne said.
Program supports and outreach: staff outlined efforts to improve resident engagement — warm handoffs at move-in, outreach materials, financial-literacy training and partnerships with local agencies (Region 10, Piedmont Housing Alliance, legal-aid partners). They noted obstacles such as lifetime or annual caps on outside rental assistance and residents' distrust of outreach, and emphasized repeated touch points to increase participation.
Public comment: Sofia Marrero, a community organizer at FAR, described FAR's recent emergency supply and outreach work during a storm and promoted upcoming community events including a March 2 financial literacy session and other resident-focused activities designed to increase access to resources.
Meeting actions: the board voted to convene a closed session earlier in the meeting to consider personnel matters pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and later certified that only lawfully exempt matters were discussed. The meeting adjourned after public comment.
What comes next: staff said they will refine data reporting, break numbers down by site quarterly and prepare a funding request to city council; they asked the board to help advocate when the request appears in council materials.
