NEWSLETTER

JULY 3, 2020

Neighbors,

I wish you and your families a happy and safe Fourth of July!

My Next Tele-Town Hall is July 15 at 6:30pm

My next Tele-Town Hall is on July 15 at 6:30pm! I will be joined by Delegates Vivian Watts, Mark Sickles, and Paul Krizek. We look forward to your input before the Special Session later this summer and to provide updates on the state’s COVID-19 response. To participate in the conversation, please use the following information: 

Dial-in (605) 472-5239 | Access Code 811044 | Submit questions here. 

Updates

Below are COVID-19 and other updates from Governor Northam, state agencies, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and Fairfax County Public Schools. As always, please let me know if I can be of assistance by calling my office 804-698-1042 or emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov.

Best, Kathy

Delegate, 42nd District 

Updates from Governor Northam and state agencies

Rent and Mortgage Relief

  • The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has established a Rent and Mortgage Relief Program using $50 million from the federal CARES Act. This program will provide rent and mortgage assistance to those who have experienced financial hardships as a result of the pandemic. The program will target outreach to communities of color that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

  • The DHCD will administer the $50 million program through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and local governments who will distribute the funds on behalf of eligible households. Housing counseling and technical assistance will also be available to eligible families and individuals.

  • Below are requirements for eligibility:

  • Households must demonstrate an inability to make rent or mortgage payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

  • Monthly rent or mortgage must be at or below 150 percent Fair Market Rent

  • Gross household income must be at or below 80 percent of area median income (AMI)

  • Priority will be given to households and individuals who have not received other federal and state eviction or foreclosure protections:

  • From June 29 to July 20, priority will be given to families whose current gross income is at or below 50 percent of their AMI

  • After July 20, families whose current gross income is at or below 80 percent of their AMI will be eligible

  • Top consideration will also be given to families who have an unlawful detainer action dated prior to June 8. 

  • To see if you are eligible or to identify the local RMRP administering organization, visit dhcd.virginia.gov/eligibility or dial 2-1-1 from your phone. 

  • As a reminder, can find housing information and resources in Virginia at stayhomevirginia.com.

Unemployment Insurance Benefits

  • The Virginia Employment Commission is now accepting applications for the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program (PEUC). PEUC, authorized by the federal CARES Act, provides up to an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits for those individuals that have exhausted their regular unemployment insurance benefits. 

  • To apply for PEUC or other unemployment insurance benefits, please visit www.vec.virginia.gov/. If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Transportation Survey

  • VDOT is launching the Virginia Commuter Survey to assess how commuting within the Commonwealth has been affected by COVID-19. State agencies will analyze this data to assess opportunities to improve Virginia’s transit system during and after the pandemic. Anyone that works or lives in Virginia is encouraged to participate. The survey can be accessed here. 

Criminal Justice Reform

  • The Speaker of the House of Delegates announced the House Courts of Justice and Public Safety Committees will hold 3 joint public hearings in July and August on criminal justice reform in preparation for the upcoming Special Session in August and the regular 2021 General Assembly Session. Additional information about the dates for these virtual  hearings will be available soon.

Updates from Fairfax County Public Schools

FCPS School Re-Opening

  • FCPS Superintendent Scott Braband and other FCPS officials will hold a virtual town hall to answer questions regarding Return to School options for the 2020-21 school year on Monday, July 6, from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. The livestream can be viewed here or on Channel 99 (Verizon, 11). To ask a question before or during the forum, please email ReturntoSchool@fcps.edu or call 1-800-231-6359 (during the forum) 

  • A Spanish language virtual town hall will be held on Wednesday, July 8 at 6:30 p.m via Facebook. You can view it here.

Meals Distribution

  • FCPS did not offer meal distributions today, July 3. Their grab and go meal distribution program will resume July 6. As a reminder, the following schools in the 42nd District are sites for the meal distribution program; you can find additional information regarding food resources from FCPS here:

    • Ft. Belvoir Upper ES, 5980 Meeres Rd, Ft. Belvoir

    • Irving MS, 8100 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield

    • South County HS, 8700 Laurel Crest Drive, Lorton

View my summary of the 2020 legislative session here.

View my previous e-newsletters here.

View my new COVID-19 resource page to see a summary of state actions, guidance, and resources here.