Temporary policy changes for RRHA Program Participants from HUD
Revised 5.12.2020
RRHA Operations During COVID-19 Outbreak
Due to concerns regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, effective today, March 16, 2020, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) will be observing limited operations until further notice. This decision was not made lightly, but rather, with careful consideration of the advice of public health officials, as well as the safety of our housing program participants, our staff, and the public.
During this time, only essential RRHA personnel will report to their work sites, and all other RRHA staff will work remotely. All RRHA administrative buildings, including 901 and 918 Chamberlayne Parkway and ALL public housing management offices, are CLOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC except by appointment. Because of this limitation, members of the public are encouraged to contact RRHA staff members by email when possible.
Following is some additional guidance regarding the operations of specific RRHA programs and departments:
Tenant selection for low-income public housing (“LIPH”) and Housing Choice Voucher (“HCV”) programs
RRHA’s Tenant Selection Office will continue all activities related to tenant intake, eligibility screening, and placement for our LIPH and HCV programs. If you are on the waitlist for a voucher or a public housing unit, we will continue to process your application as normal. However, all activities will be conducted electronically or by mail whenever possible. If you have an upcoming appointment for admissions to RRHA’s LIPH or HCV programs, your caseworker will contact you by phone, email, or regular mail with further instructions. If you do not have a caseworker, call (804) 780-4361. DO NOT report to 918 Chamberlayne Parkway in person unless instructed to do so by RRHA staff.
Low-income Public Housing
All LIPH management offices are CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC until further notice. DO NOT report to your management office in person unless instructed to do so by management staff.
If you are a LIPH resident with a management issue, call your management office by phone or email to schedule an appointment. If you are experiencing a maintenance issue in your unit, RRHA’s maintenance division are operating with skeleton crews and only responding to emergency maintenance requests. For emergency maintenance requests, please call (804) 780-4100.
All annual (regular) income re-certification appointments in the LIPH program are CANCELED until further notice. If you are a current public housing resident who is scheduled for an upcoming re-certification appointment, your property manager will contact you with further instructions.
If you need to report a decrease in your income, your property manager will schedule an interim recertification BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Contact your management office for assistance.
RRHA WILL NOT undertake any lease terminations or other lease enforcement activities for nonpayment of rent or other charges until May 1, 2020. RRHA WILL NOT charge penalties for late payments in the months of March or April, 2020. However, tenants are STRONGLY encouraged to continue regular payments to avoid legal action when normal operations resume.
Housing Choice Voucher Program
RRHA’s HCVP offices are CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC until further notice, except by appointment. However, all HCV program activities are expected to continue as normal. RRHA will make all Housing Assistance Payments (“HAP”) to landlords as scheduled. RRHA will make all utility reimbursement payments to qualifying HCVP participants as scheduled.
Until further notice, RRHA will conduct Uniform Physical Condition Standards for Vouchers (“UPCS-V”) inspections ONLY for new HCVP tenancies, moves for existing voucher-holders, and for complaints from existing voucherholders. All biennial UPCS-V inspections NOT for those reasons are postponed until further notice.
All other HCVP activities (such as annual and interim re-certification appointments) will be conducted electronically or by email whenever possible. If you are a HCVP participant scheduled for an upcoming meeting at RRHA’s 918 Chamberlayne Parkway location, your caseworker will contact you by email, phone, or regular mail with alternative arrangements. DO NOT report to 918 Chamberlayne Parkway unless instructed to do so by your caseworker.