Phone: (804) 646-7000
Online: RVA311.com
Please submit all inquiries using
the City's RVA 311 system
Address:
Department of Finance
900 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
RVA Stay Gap Grant Program
The RVA Stay Gap Grant Program is a first-come, first-serve housing relief program that offers a one-time payment of $1200 for rental or mortgage payment assistance to qualifying applicants.
This program is jointly operated by the Department of Finance and the Department of Social Services to provide financial assistance that helps fill the gap for low-income households in the City of Richmond.
📣 Updates
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, the City of Richmond has temporarily paused the RVA Stay Gap Grant Program in order to make improvements aimed at strengthening program administration and improving efficiency so that financial assistance can be delivered more quickly and effectively to Richmond homeowners and renters experiencing financial hardship. The administration will take this time to consider all options to improve program delivery, including the hiring of an external vendor to oversee administration.
- Jan. 14, 2026; City of Richmond Announces Temporary Pause in RVA Stay Gap Grant Program
- Jan. 14, 2026; CAO memo to City Council
- Oct. 15, 2025; Presentation to City Council's Finance and Economic Development Committee
- Oct. 7, 2024; Mayor Stoney Announces "RVA Stay" Tax Relief Program and Four-Cent Tax Rebate for Richmond Residents
Program Status
Last updated Jan. 14, 2026
| Application Status | Sep. '25 | Jan. '26 |
|---|---|---|
| Approved | 17 | 286 |
| In Process | 223 | 356 |
| Unprocessed | 975 | 1,446 |
| Denied | 1,122 | 1,791 |
| Money distributed | $20,400 | $343,200 |
| Total Applications Received | 2,337 | 3,879 |
History
Introduced in 2024 for a 2025 rollout, the Gap Grant Program was established by City Council through Ordinance No. 2024-272 / City Code § 16.3, to provide targeted financial relief to residents experiencing significant rent or mortgage burden; Council approved an appropriation of $3.9 million in the FY25 budget.
In fall 2025, staff publicly reported on significant operational challenges, including a high number of incomplete submissions, limited staffing, manual processing constraints, and workflow requirements. These factors led to delays in processing applications and distributing funds to eligible residents. Staff took intermediate measures to address some of these challenges, including the hiring of additional temporary staff dedicated to the processing of these applications.
As of January 9, 2026, the program has approved 286 applications and disbursed $343,200, with 1,791 incomplete or ineligible submissions documented and 1,446 applications remaining in the actionable queue awaiting further processing. Over 400 new applications were submitted during the month of December 2025.
