May 9, 2024: UVA Board of Visitors to meet tomorrow; Albemarle commits to $2M in funding for Premier Circle
Plus: Charlottesville City Council learns how visitors bureau uses lodging tax revenue to attract tourists and their wallets
There are around 8 billion people on the planet. How many of those individuals are in a position to make decisions? In a democracy there are many aspirational sayings that argue each voice is important, but that requires a large enough audience of people willing to listen to opposing positions. This is the edition of Charlottesville Community Edition for May 9, 2024. I’m Sean Tubbs, certain that I know nothing.
In today’s edition:
The UVA Board of Visitors will meet tomorrow in a special meeting to discuss the response to an encampment as well as security preparation for graduation
Charlottesville City Council learns how a portion of transient lodging tax revenue is spent
Albemarle County Supervisors approve $2 million to build 60 units of affordable housing, $100,000 for joint homeless study with Charlottesville
Charlottesville Police will resume taking non-emergency calls
First shout out: Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards offering ID walks in Belmont
In today’s firssubscriber-supported public service announcement, the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards has a mission to support rural and urban forests and to promote knowledge and understanding of the value of trees for present and future generations. Toward that goal, they offer the occasional free class.
On the mornings of May 16 and May 17, 2024, a group of tree stewards will lead a guided tour of trees in the oldest section of Charlottesville’s Belmont neighborhood. There will be an emphasis on tree identification and other noteworthy information. The walk is about one mile and mainly on level sidewalks with one staircase of about 20 steps to negotiate. Each walk is limited to 15 participants.
This walk is free, but donations are always appreciated. Thanks! Please register in advance at charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org
UVA Board of Visitor meeting tomorrow to discuss recent events, security for graduation
The governing body of the University of Virginia has four regular meetings a year but will meet on an as-needed basis.
Such a need has arisen with the recent protest that culminated in the Virginia State Police using force to remove a small group that refused to disperse on Saturday after a “unlawful assembly” had been declared.
The Board of Visitors will meet electronically at 10 a.m. tomorrow for a closed session.
“Board briefing by law enforcement, administration, and legal counsel on safety and security planning and emergency response and recovery related to a demonstration and encampment on Grounds from April 30 through May 4, 2024 and security plans associated with final exercises,” reads the agenda.
“Final exercises” is how the University of Virginia describes the major commencement activity at graduation.
“Final Exercises begins with an academic procession of the graduates and faculty down the Lawn,” reads a FAQ page on the events. “The ceremony includes the conferral of degrees by school, greetings by University officials, and remarks by a keynote speaker.”
President Jim Ryan said Final Exercises were still scheduled for the weekend of May 17 through May 19. (this sentence was updated after publication to reflect the correct dates!)
Today, a group called Faculty for Justice in Palestine held their own town hall to present their side of the events that led to the removal of protestors.
Charlottesville City Council gets briefing on how tourism bureau works
Charlottesville’s adopted budget for fiscal year 2025 anticipates the collection of $9.95 million in transient occupancy taxes, an increase of 15.2 percent over the current year.
The FY25 budget anticipates that over $1.5 million will go to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau for the purpose of tourism marketing.
“Our mission is to generate overnight visitation,” said Courtney Cacatian, the executive director of the CACVB. “That is what ends up generating the lodging. It also generates other taxes that go into the city’s budget and they fund you all.”
Council increased the rate from eight percent to nine percent of a customer’s bill, but the CACVB will not get additional revenue. According to the city’s agreement with the agency, CACVB gets 30 percent of the first five percent.
“So as you increase the transient occupancy tax, there is no additional amount that goes to our organization,” Cacatian said. “And just as a reminder, it is a government organization and not a nonprofit. That misconception happens a lot because we are combined with [Albemarle] County but we have the county as our fiscal year and are technically county employees.”
Noting the city’s $1.5 million allocation in FY25, City Councilor Michael Payne noted that CACVB had $711,082 allocated to it in FY2023.
“I’m curious from a practical perspective what does it look in what you’re doing differently operationally or marketing wise when the budget has doubled during that time,” Payne asked.
Cacatian said that wasn’t really the case. She reminded Council they contributed some of their share of American Rescue Plan Act funding to help with a drop in their revenues that year. The CACVB budget lags two years behind tax collections. For instance, the city allocation in FY21 was $1,212,692 in FY21 and $946,848. That reflects a dramatic drop in travel during the first year of the pandemic.
Last November, the publication Wine Enthusiast recognized the area as the Wine Region of the year. The CACVB actively pursued the honor and has used it to bring in visitors. (read the story)
“I know that our Wine Enthusiast recognition has increased one specific tour company that does wine tours by 35 percent this spring,” Cacatian said.
To learn more about the activities of the CACVB, visit their website.
Sponsored message: Buy Local
From Crozet to Barracks Road, the Downtown Mall to the Shops at Stonefield, and everywhere in between, Albemarle County and Charlottesville’s Offices of Economic Development encourage you to Buy Local as spring approaches.
Buying locally supports our neighbors and community members and makes a big impact for our local economy. Local businesses are more likely to reinvest in our community and their goods and services contribute to the unique character of our community.
Learn more about how you can support local business at ShowLocalLove.org and on social media:
Albemarle Supervisors approve $2 million for Piedmont Housing Alliance’s 60-unit Premier Circle project
The Albemarle Board of Supervisors has given the Piedmont Housing Alliance just under a tenth of the cost for them to build between 40 and 60 apartments on U.S. 29 at Premier Circle.
“Their total project cost is $22.05 million approximately and Piedmont Housing Alliance is requesting $2,000,025 toward the project,” said Stacy Pethia, the county’s assistance director of housing.
This is one of three proposed phases at the site which used to be a Red Carpet Inn. The first phase is an 80-unit apartment building to be built and operated by Virginia Supportive Housing, the same entity that built and operates the 60-unit Crossings at Fourth and Preston. A third phase would be commercial buildings.
The Piedmont Housing Alliance units would be reserved for households making less than 60 percent of the area median income, a figure calculated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“On April 1 of this year, the median income increased to $124,200 per household so this 60 percent AMI level really opens up things to more families than it used to,” Pethia said.
Supervisors also approved $100,000 funding for a joint study with Charlottesville to assess the state of services for the unhoused in the community.
“The assessment goals would really reevaluate the operational effectiveness of the current continuum of care system so that would include Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless, along with the other homeless services, supportive services on that, including PACEM and the Haven,” Pethia said.
Pethia said one outcome would be to establish the number of shelter beds needed. The City of Charlottesville recently purchased land on Avon Street from the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority that might one day be used in part of support services and beds.
Neil Williamson of the Free Enterprise Forum pointed to the proforma for Piedmont Housing Alliance’s Premier Circle included in the packet that demonstrates the high cost to build new housing.
“For the 60 unit Premier Circle Phase 2 apartments, total project costs are estimated at over $20 million,” Williamson said. “That works out to $334,166 per unit.”
The cost of construction is listed as $14.6 million. Land acquisition is estimated at $1 million. There’s a $2 million developers fee.
On the funding side, $8,7725,000 is expected through revenue from the sale of low-income housing tax credits. Another $5,515,000 is expected to come from a mortgage.
Pethia said it is not unusual for these projects to have multiple funding sources.
“A really good example is looking at the Crossings at Fourth and Preston,” Pethia said. “They had at the final stage, 17 different funding sources, the majority of which were grants coming from state and federal and local sources.”
Williamson said he appreciated that Albemarle’s funding would help the nonprofit developer leverage funds, but the details in the proforma also demonstrate how the profit margins for private developers are slim. He said inclusionary zoning programs that require developers to rent or sell a certain number of units may have the effect of halting construction because the financing won’t work out.
“In this highly expensive housing market, the Free Enterprise Forum calls on Albemarle to continue to tweak the Housing Albemarle program requirements,” Williamson said. “Percentage of units. Level of affordability. Term.
During her presentation, Pethia mentioned that there would be between 40 and 60 units, not the definitive 60 units that have been stated up until this point. Supervisor Ann Mallek asked why there is a range.
“Some of it will be based upon how much low-income housing tax credit financing they are awarded and some of it will come down to just simple site plan issues,” Pethia said.
Piedmont Housing Alliance did not pursue LIHTC funding through what used to be called the Virginia Housing Development Authority. Pethia said Piedmont Housing Alliance will not get the funding until specific steps have been made, such as being awarded the funding.
VHDA now goes by the name Virginia Housing.
Charlottesville Police to resume taking non-emergency calls on June 1
A shortage of personnel in early 2022 led the Charlottesville Police Department to stop fielding phone calls for non-emergency crimes. Instead, anyone reporting lost property, suspicious activity, vandalism, fraud, and other claims had to do using an online form. (read that story)
Since then, the police department has hired enough people to be able to resume taking those reports via phone as of June 1.
“Over the last 16 months, the police department has made significant strides in filling sworn vacancies,” reads a press release sent out on Monday.
Police Chief Michael Kochis is quoted in the release as saying this will help the department become more present in the community.
“By being present in times other than in crisis, police officers can help create safer, more connected, and resilient communities,” Kochis said.
If you want to take a look at crime data for some of that time, check out the CPD’s annual reports. The most recently was published for 2022.
Reading material:
Gilbane Building Company successfully completes construction of the University of Virginia's cutting-edge School of Data Science, PR Newswire, April 28, 2024
UVA president said protest outcome ‘upsetting’; professors condemn administration’s actions, Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury, May 8, 2024
Explosive growth: Crozet group wants permission to launch July 4 fireworks at King Family Vineyards, Sean Tubbs, C-Ville Weekly
Attorney asks for investigation of John McGuire state campaign, Jay Hart, Cville Right Now, May 9, 2024
Goodbye #676!
I knocked out one of the stories I wanted to write, and would have gotten to more of them but there’s a lot each week to go through. I spent a lot of time on the phone today tracking down future stories and arranging travel for a fact-finding trip I’m going to take next week. More details on that, soon.
Tomorrow I’ll produce another one, will hopefully write up most of my story for C-Ville Weekly, and will produce audio versions for both WTJU and for podcast listeners. Potential subjects for CCE-677 will be a look at Charlottesville’s efforts to get back in VDOT’s good graces, and hopefully something from Fluvanna County and Louisa County on solar.
I’m thrilled that I get to do this. I don’t know many people who get excited about reporting from meetings as I do, but I’m glad paid subscribers are helping me to show up and work every day. If you’ve not done so yet, consider it. I rely on paid subscriptions to keep going and to grow!
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