Two vacancies on Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board

Shortly before the March 23 meeting of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, City Councilor Michael Payne wrote to his colleagues on the Board of Commissioners that he would not be able to attend.

“Unfortunately, I have a conflict with another meeting and will not be able to attend,” Payne wrote in an email at 5:06 p.m. “Mondays often create 6pm meeting conflicts on my end.”

Payne is appointed by his colleagues to the CRHA Board as one of the body’s seven members. There are two positions reserved for people who live in CRHA properties, but one of those positions is vacant after the death of Alice Washington last summer. So far only one person has applied for that seat according to Payne.

At the end of his email, Payne announced another vacancy.

“A few weeks ago Lise Clavel e-mailed City Council to resign from the CRHA board,” Clavel said. “We have yet to receive an application from anyone to replace her board seat.”

Clavel’s vacancy took effect March 2 according to the city’s portal for Boards and Commissions. Interested parties can submit an application here.

At the end of his email, Payne notified his colleagues of opportunities to provide comment to City Council about the FY2027 budget. In addition to reporting $10 million in funding for the first phase of Westhaven, Payne also shared that CRHA is now considered a fundamental agency and will now receive $300,000 a year for operations from the city.

Payne also wrote to say that a project to pay CRHA more funds to assist with eviction diversion efforts is not in the budget.

“The date the City plans to adopt our FY27 budget is rapidly approaching on April 9,” Payne said. “If CRHA/Board members have any budget requestions they’d like to advocate for, now is the time.”

When reached for comment, Payne said there are efforts to try to rearrange CRHA Board meetings.

However, if that’s not possible and conflicts remain I’d absolutely be willing to change the Council representation to ensure Council representation is as robust as possible,” Payne said in an email. “I know in the past for different boards and commissions adjustments have been made for similar conflicts, and I have no issue with adjusting Council representation due to circumstances.”

Payne said there are other conflicts as well such as City Council budget work sessions on Thursdays held at the same time as when the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission meets. He and Councilor Jen Fleisher are members and recently missed the TJPDC’s March 5 meeting.

“There is definitely opportunity to better minimize schedule conflicts,” Payne said.

City Council will begin a series of Wednesday sessions tomorrow at 4 p.m. with a work session on a low-barrier shelter for the homeless. Learn more here.

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