City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2026
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: ASPASIA XYPOLIA, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF HOUSING
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Grant Application to Virginia Housing for the Capacity Building Training Grant to Fund Mold and Moisture Response Training for City Staff and Partners.
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ISSUE: City Council’s consideration of a Virginia Housing Capacity Building Training Grant application. The application seeks new funding for the Office of Housing to develop and deliver interagency training on the City’s Mold and Moisture Response Playbook.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1. Authorize the submission of a grant application to Virginia Housing for up to $20,000 under the Capacity Building Training Grant, Organization Hosted Event category. The grant would fund the development and delivery of a one-day mold and moisture response training course available for staff of the Office of Housing, Code Administration, the Alexandria Health Department, the Department of Emergency and Customer Communications (Alex311), and the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA). No local match is required; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required.
DISCUSSION: Mold and moisture concerns in residential properties reach the City through several channels, including Alex311 requests, proactive rental inspections, landlord-tenant complaints, and Health Department home visits. Each agency responds within its own authority. Virginia law addresses visible mold in rental housing through the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA). Code Administration, however, enforces the Virginia Property Maintenance Code, which does not specifically reference mold. Residents may therefore receive different guidance depending on which agency they contact, and some concerns may not be fully resolved when a code case is closed.
To address this, the Alexandria Health Department contracted with the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) to develop a Mold and Moisture Response Playbook. NCHH delivered the playbook in September 2026. It was developed with input from the Health Department, the Office of Housing, Code Administration, and ARHA. The playbook establishes shared terminology, field observation and documentation practices, agency response pathways, and key messages for residents and property owners. NCHH has recommended staff training as the next step in implementing it.
Virginia Housing’s Capacity Building Training Grant includes an Organization Hosted Event option. This option funds outside trainers for an organization’s staff and partners, up to $20,000 per organization per year. The Office of Housing proposes to use this grant to fund the remaining two components of NCHH’s original proposal:
• Training development: a customized curriculum aligned with the playbook, including a facilitator guide, presentation slides, case studies based on Alexandria scenarios, participant handouts, and assessment checklists.
• Training delivery: one in-person, one-day training for up to 75 participants. NCHH subject matter experts in healthy housing, code enforcement, and public health would lead the training, with City staff leading the remainder of the day.
NCHH will also contribute an estimated $3,700 in in-kind subject matter expert time across both components.
The training would give staff across agencies a common understanding of the playbook and its application in the field. It would also support more consistent communication with residents and property owners and stronger coordination on complex or recurring cases. The City may record the training for future internal use, including onboarding new staff. If the grant is awarded, the training is expected to occur in February or March 2027.
The Office of Housing has coordinated this application with Code Administration and the Alexandria Health Department.
FISCAL IMPACT: The application requests up to $20,000. No local match is required. The grant operates on a reimbursement basis: the City must first pay the eligible training costs, then request reimbursement from Virginia Housing within 30 days.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
STAFF:
Emily Baker, Deputy City Manager
Mary Horner, Division Chief, Landlord Tenant Relations, Office of Housing