Bryer Haywood, Contributing Writer
Mayor Danny Avula announced on Nov. 7 that Richmonders will not be charged for late fees or be disconnected from utility services for the month of November in an effort to provide relief following the longest government shutdown in United States history.
The shutdown lasted 43 days and saw disruptions in the distribution of people’s SNAP benefits and hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without work or pay. Virginia has one of the highest concentrations of federal workers out of any state.
“The intention was to ease the financial burden on utility customers who were affected by the federal shutdown,” said Scott Morris, Richmond’s director of public utilities.
The federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program was paused due to the shutdown. In 2024, it assisted more than 1,200 city residents with their bills, totaling $550,757, according to a press release from the mayor’s office.
The city’s relief measures went into effect on Nov. 1 and will last through the end of the month.
In addition to the utility bill relief measures, there have been other city-wide efforts to support residents during the government shutdown.
The City of Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico Counties contributed a combined $300,000 to Feed More, the regional food bank of Central Virginia.
The city’s Community Emergency Response Team partnered with Feed More to help distribute meals. Richmond Public Schools have also provided meals to families in need.
With temperatures dropping, Richmond also partnered with the Salvation Army to open its Inclement Weather Shelter earlier than previously scheduled. The shelter opened on Nov. 6 and can house up to 100 people overnight. CARITAS will have an overflow shelter that can house up to 60 people.
The Richmond Department of Public Utilities also offers multiple year-round assistance programs to help residents pay their bills.
Residents who have fallen behind on their payments can set up a payment plan with PromisePay. The Equal Monthly Payment Plan spreads residents’ gas bills over 12 months. The MetroCare Water and Heat programs offer financial support to residents struggling to pay their water and heating bills respectively.