The Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee voted to forward ordinance 2025-001 to City Council with a recommendation to approve a $500,000 transfer to create a Right to Counsel for Evictions program.

Michelle Brown Peters, deputy director for housing and community development, said the ordinance would move funds adopted in the FY2025 budget into a new non-departmental line item and that the department issued a call for applications to manage the program. “We received applications, and we are recommending that the money will go to Central Virginia Legal Aid Society. And the purpose of the program is to provide legal representation to individuals who are facing eviction so that when they go to court, that they will have, an attorney there to advise them and assist them with their eviction case,” Peters said.

Peters explained the program will work with Southside Community Development Corporation, which manages the city’s eviction diversion program and received $1,000,000 in the current budget. She said $753,200 of that award goes toward direct arrearage payments; Southside will refer court-bound applicants to Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, but individuals may also seek assistance directly from the legal aid society without a referral.

Vice Chair Jones moved to forward the ordinance to council for approval; Chair Robertson seconded. The clerk recorded Vice Chair Jones and Chair Robertson voting aye. The committee’s recommendation to council is to approve the transfer and award to Central Virginia Legal Aid Society.