Regional providers tell Charlottesville council homelessness is rising; leaders discuss interim encampment responses while Center of Hope, Holiday Drive move on

Charlottesville — Regional homeless‑service providers told the City Council on May 4 that homelessness in the catchment area has increased over the past year and that limited affordable housing and rising rents are straining shelter capacity and services.

The providers — led by Shayla Washington, executive director of the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless (BRAC) — gave the council an annual "state of homelessness" briefing. Washington said BRAC’s by‑name list was 333 in the presentation draft and rose to 335 by the time of the meeting, and that regionwide homelessness measured roughly 620 last year versus about 703 this year. BRAC runs the HUD‑designated regional Continuum of Care and coordinates the Point‑in‑Time count used for federal reporting.

The data‑quality limits Washington described include incomplete locality reporting and self‑reported origins for many clients; she said BRAC has hired a grants and data manager to improve reporting. On the PIT night discussed, organizers hotel‑placed 87 people and counted seven people sleeping unsheltered during a severe weather event that complicated outreach.

Cindy Chambers, deputy director of PACHA (People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry), outlined cold‑weather shelter operations and a newly required…