The current Charlottesville City Council had the chance this month to check in with the redevelopment of Friendship Court. The Piedmont Housing Alliance came before Council on April 18 with a request to amend an agreement that governs a $6 million forgivable loan granted in November 2020 for the first phase.
The amendment is a technical one because the full amount had not been allocated by Council in a subsequent budget cycle.
Brenda Kelley is the redevelopment manager for the city of Charlottesville, a position currently housed in the Office of Community Solutions.
“This request is not asking for additional funding,” Kelley said. “This funding is already approved in this current budget.”
Council had no issue with the amendment.
“This was kind of staggered mostly because of COVID,” said City Councilor Sena Magill. “Friendship Court was really trying to help ease some of the potential future unknown burden that we might be facing with COVID.”
The item will require a second reading and it will be on the consent agenda for the May 2 meeting.
Construction of the first phase of Friendship Court is now underway.
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