Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s (RRHA), Interim Chief Executive Officer Stacey Daniels-Fayson has implemented a self-imposed lease enforcement moratorium for all RRHA public housing communities through the end of the 2021 calendar year. This applies to all RRHA-managed communities.
The decision to extend lease enforcement provides a final and additional opportunity for RRHA residents who are still behind to catch up, and also comes as a result of discussions with RRHA’s Board of Commissioners and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development on the impact of not collecting rent through the end of the 2021 calendar year.
During this time, RRHA families should pay their rent to set themselves up for success once the moratorium ends December 31st , 2021. This self-imposed moratorium applies only to the non-payment of rent for RRHA families who are behind are encouraged to enter into a repayment agreement. RRHA may enforce our lease with respect to criminal activity.
RRHA serves nearly 4,000 families in our public housing communities. At the time of this release, there remain more than 1,300 families who are behind in their rent.
“It is our sincere hope that our families who remain behind will use this time and take the necessary measures to bring their rent balances current. The housing authority has gone above and beyond and will continue to reach out to families who are behind through the end of the moratorium. We need our families to do their part.”
Interim Chief Executive Officer Stacey Daniels-Fayson
RRHA residents who are experiencing a financial hardship, either directly or indirectly due to COVID-19 such as loss of income, financial hardship, loss of employment, childcare challenges, and other specific COVID related situations are encouraged to contact their management offices for assistance and resources. RRHA property management staff have spent the last year and a half reaching out to public housing families who are behind in their rent to meet them where they are by offering services such as budgeting, workforce training resources, free (or nearly free) childcare and more. Additionally, RRHA has assisted 519 families by applying for VA rent relief resources and applying those resources to rent account arrearages to reduce balances and in some cases bring accounts to a zero balance. RRHA Property management staff will continue these efforts through the end of the moratorium to try to ensure that no families are subject to lease enforcement actions for non-payment.
For more information about RRHA’s lease enforcement efforts, visit rrha.info/lease-enforcement. For general inquiries about other RRHA programs and objectives, contact RRHA’s Customer Call Center at (804) 780-4200 or email us at info@rrha.com.
###