CHARLOTTESVILLE REDEVELOPMENT & HOUSING AUTHORITY
P.O. BOX 1405
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22902
TELEPHONE: (434) 326-4672 FAX: (434) 293-3460
www.cvillerha.com
March 16, 2020
Dear Residents and Voucher Holders,
I am sure you have all been following the news around the COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the U.S. The health and safety of our program participants, our staff and our families are always our primary concern. It is our sincere and heartfelt desire to keep you safe, utilizing every piece of technology at our disposal to assist in continuing business while protecting the well-being of all involved.
Just to recap some of the recent changes in attempts to slow the strain on our medical systems:
- UVA and PVCC have suspended live classes and are moving to online teaching. They have also suspended most non-essential gatherings.
- Local schools have been closed for at least two weeks.
- The city of Charlottesville has cancelled the majority of committees and meetings.
- The City, State and Nation have declared a state of emergency.
The following guidelines are to be implemented for our office:
- If you or a household member are ill, do not come to the office. Please call within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment and let staff know you are ill.
- WASH YOUR HANDS. WASH YOUR HANDS. WASH YOUR HANDS.
- Maintain 3-6 feet between yourself and others (social distancing). Reduce visitors and visiting friends and family.
- Our maintenance work orders in homes will be emergency based only over the next two weeks.
- Our rental office staff will likely be at reduced hours over the next couple of weeks as we follow local guidance. Please call before coming by the office.
RESOURCES:
Please see the attached press release regarding our Eviction Moratorium and the COVID-19 (coronavirus) flyer prepared by Sharon Veith from UVA Nursing.
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The Charlottesville Department of Social Services is encouraging their clients to call their main number (434) 970-3400 or apply through www.commonhelp.virginia.gov.
The Community Resource line 434-234-4490 will continue to operate as a resource, and they are looking to expand to the operating hours of that.
The Virginia Department of Health’s Thomas Jefferson Health District has opened a hotline at (434) 972-6261 which is staffed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to answer questions regarding the Coronavirus. The public can leave messages that will be returned as soon as possible. If someone is
experiencing a medical emergency, they should call 911.
The HD hotline is a good place for information and to speak to a person.
City School Families: You can find information about receiving food during the school closure our web site at charlottesvilleschools.org/food. City School meals update about food deliveries for next week:
On Monday, the PBJ Fund and PTOs have organized lunch deliveries from noon to 1 at the following locations:
o Friendship Court
o Greenstone on 5th
o Hearthwood
o Sixth Street
o South First Street
o Westhaven
Beginning on Tuesday, the Charlottesville City Schools nutrition program will offer to-go bags serving breakfast and lunch. These bags will be available from 10am-noon each weekday of the closure. Following federal guidelines, we can distribute one bag per child per day. The child (up to age 18) must be present to receive a
bag. These delivery locations are at:
o Buford Middle School – Parking Lot / Bus Loop 1000 Cherry Ave
o CHS Parking Lot – 1400 Melbourne Road
o Friendship Court – 418 Garrett St
o Greenstone –746 Prospect Ave
o Hearthwood Apartments – 2111 Michie Drive
o Jackson-Via Elementary – Parking Lot / Bus Loop 508 Harris Road
o Meade Park – Parking Lot 300 Meade Ave
o South 1st Street – 1st St. S
o Venable Elementary – Parking Lot 406 14th St NW
o Westhaven – 803 Hardy Drive
In closing
We will be closely watching responses by UVA Health Systems, The City and County Governments, and HUD to continually navigate the safest and most reasonable path as this plays out. Additionally, we will comply with any guidelines or requests by local authorities regarding operations should those come about.
Thank you for your help as we move through this temporary situation. Please keep your families healthy!
Sincerely,
Kathleen Glenn-Matthews
Interim Executive Director
March 13, 2020
RE: CRHA Eviction Moratorium related to COVID‐19 spread
The Charlottesville Housing and Redevelopment Authority (CRHA), in partnership with the Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR), will suspend evictions and voucher terminations until least March 27th, 2020 during this public health crisis, as COVID‐19 has spreads across the nation. CRHA has a “Residents First” approach and are committed to protecting our most vulnerable during this public health emergency. CRHA may consider extending the suspension period based on directives from HUD or medical health officials.
Specifically, we have instructed our attorneys and property managers to:
- Continue (postpone) all pending actions in court until after March 27th, 2020;
- Suspend all activities, such as initial and final notices, related to evictions and voucher terminations until March 27th, 2020,
a. including all nonpayment of rent and lease violation actions that arose or will arise before March 27th, 2020; and
b. including all proposed voucher terminations that arose or will arise before March 27th, 2020; - Rescind any outstanding eviction notices that are pending;
- Proactively accommodate income reporting and rent adjustments with attention to public health guidance;
- Halt any accrual of late fees during period until at least March 27th, 2020; and
- Apply the hardship exemption for residents broadly and liberally when it is requested.
If the coronavirus response triggers sustained reductions in economic demand and household income, large numbers of Charlottesville and Albemarle’s low‐income residents who are already living paycheck to paycheck are particularly at
risk. Further, responding to an eviction action requires residents to appear at the courthouses, regardless of their health
— making it impossible for high‐risk individuals to self‐quarantine, and increasing their risk of contracting the virus. In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus and keep residents healthy and safe, we must keep people housed.
We encourage all of our fellow housing providers, particularly those who serve vulnerable and low‐income residents in this region to join us in protecting our community.
Sincerely,
Betsy Roettger, Chair, CRHA Board of Commissioners
And Kathleen Glen‐Matthews, Interim Executive Director
Charlottesville Redevelopment Housing Authority
matthewsk@cvillerha.com, Ph: 434.987‐9639 Fax: 434.971.4797
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