Richmond officials on Monday morning announced they had paused applications to the city’s water crisis relief fund, as the available funds had been “fully committed” four days after the program launched.
The fund, established this month to provide assistance to Richmond residents and business owners who were financially impacted by the six-day water crisis, received 2,200 applicants over the weekend, officials said in a Monday news release.
Those applicants are being “verified for eligibility,” according to the release. Applicants are eligible for up to $2,500 in relief and should hear back from officials in 10 to 15 business days.
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The dollars come from the city’s Family Crisis Fund, established in 2020 to help residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of last week, there was $650,000 worth of public money in the fund, plus gifts from donors — including a $25,000 contribution from Mayor Danny Avula’s political action committee.
Mayor Danny Avula speaks about the boil water advisory during a news conference at Richmond’s Main Public Library on Jan. 8. A winter storm caused a power failure that triggered flooding in the city’s water treatment plant, leaving Richmonders without drinkable water for six days.
Those funds were exhausted after around 70 hours. While the fund is still accepting donations, it seemingly will require additional generosity from members of the public for the program to reopen.
The funds can be used to cover expenses like rent and mortgage payments, health care and child care costs, utility bills and car loan payments.
“The water crisis is not the only challenge we’ll face in the coming years, and Richmonders deserve a robust and resilient Family Crisis Fund to help us meet those future challenges together,” Avula said in a Monday statement. “My team and I are currently exploring all options to expand financial support for this critical program.”
