CRHA adopts five-year capital plan amidst federal funding uncertainty

The Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s governing body held a special meeting to adopt a budget for the fiscal year that begins on April 1. A week before, the Board of Commissioners adopted a five-year capital fund that provides a partial glimpse of what the agency will be doing over that period.

“The Capital Fund is a grant from [the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development] that we’re eligible for every year,” said Brandon Collins, the CRHA’s redevelopment coordinator. “One of the things that we have to do to be eligible for it is to have a five year year plan.”

Collins said that CRHA and other public housing agencies across the United States often do not know exactly how much funding they will receive and so the numbers in the plan are based on previous years. For now, CRHA is anticipating $6.37 million in capital funds from the federal government during the five year plan.

Collins said recent uses of the funds have been to replace heating, cooling, and ventilation systems at various sites.

One significant departure from the past is that Crescent Halls is no longer part of the capital plan.

“Only half of it is public housing,” Collins said. “It’s got its own funding stream, it’s got its own operating costs to meet any needs there.”

There are also no federal capital funds anticipated for South First Street or Sixth Street. Those are in the process of redevelopment paid for by other sources of financing. Some of the capital funds are going to upgrades at the Riverside, Michie, Madison CRHA sites as well as some of the single family homes.

Before you go: This story was originally posted in the March 31, 2025 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement and was posted here on the second month of April.