Hampton City Council Work Session: VPCC Update and Camping Ordinance Briefing - March 11, 2026
Hampton City Council Work Session: VPCC Update and Camping Ordinance Briefing - March 11, 2026
The Hampton City Council convened for a work session on March 11, 2026, at 1:00 PM in Council Chambers, 22 Lincoln Street, Hampton, VA. All seven council members were present. The meeting included two presentations: an update from Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) and a briefing on proposed amendments to the camping and storage on public property ordinance. Following open session, the council entered closed session to discuss appointments and later certified the closed session before adjourning at 2:11 PM.
Presentation by Virginia Peninsula Community College
- VPCC reported two consecutive years of enrollment growth, with a third year on track, noting that many institutions are still experiencing declines. Hampton students represent approximately 24.7% of total enrollment.
- Dual enrollment programs have grown significantly: Hampton City Schools students make up over 31% of dual enrollment participants, with 865 students from Hampton enrolled in the 2024-2025 school year.
- The Fast Forward workforce training program (short-term credentials in healthcare, HVAC, IT, welding, etc.) has grown 127% since 2016, but state funding limitations have capped expansion. Students typically pay one-third of tuition, with assistance programs often covering the remainder.
- VPCC highlighted a three-year completion rate of 34%, with an additional 19% transferring to other institutions, for an overall completion/transfer rate of approximately 54%. About 80% of graduates remain in the region.
- Facility improvements include renovated student spaces, reopening of the Mary T. Christian Theater, a new Newport News Trade Center (ribbon cutting March 25), and construction of a new 75,000-square-foot academic building on the Hampton campus.
- Councilwoman Hope Harper expressed support for reinstating the dental hygiene program, citing a shortage of dental hygienists in Virginia. Steve Carpenter, Vice President of Finance and Administration, explained the program is on hold due to an annual loss of approximately $600,000, driven by high staffing costs (required licensed dentist, low student-to-instructor ratio). He noted that despite outreach to state legislators and private partners, sustainable funding has not been secured, and the program cannot be reopened with one-time funding alone.
- Council discussion also addressed Fast Forward funding: the state previously allowed borrowing from future years, but that was discontinued in fiscal year 2026, limiting enrollment. Additional state funding is being considered in the current budget.
Briefing on Revised Camping and Storage Ordinance
- Senior Deputy City Attorney Brandi Law presented amendments to the ordinance, developed from a stakeholder group's recommendations. The three key changes: (1) adding a preamble emphasizing a compassionate, service-first approach; (2) reducing the classification of the offense; (3) ensuring resources are provided before enforcement.
- The proposed preamble states the city's goal is "compassionate compliance" and that the ordinance is a last resort for individuals who repeatedly refuse outreach and create public safety or health concerns.
- The ordinance prohibits camping, sleeping, or storing personal property on public property, with exceptions for authorized uses (e.g., beach use, legally parked vehicles). Unattended property may be seized and stored for up to 30 days; hazardous items may be disposed of immediately.
- First violation: Class 4 misdemeanor (fine up to $250). Subsequent violations after conviction: Class 2 misdemeanor (up to 6 months jail and/or $1,000 fine). The higher classification allows participation in behavioral health court diversion programs.
- Before any charge, officers must issue a verbal warning, allow a reasonable time for compliance, and provide information on available services (shelters, hotels, housing assistance). Police will document interactions on field contact cards.
- Councilman Randy Bowman expressed concern about whether sufficient facilities exist for individuals experiencing homelessness. City Manager Mary Bunting acknowledged limited permanent housing but noted the council has allocated funding for temporary hotel placements for those willing to accept assistance. She emphasized the ordinance is a last resort for individuals who refuse outreach and cause disruptions, and that most unhoused individuals accept help when offered.
- In response to a question from the Mayor, Bunting confirmed that police officers will receive training and guidance on implementation, including documentation and coordination with outreach teams. Printed materials listing resources will be provided. The regional housing hotline, which has had limitations (e.g., closing early), is being revamped in partnership with Newport News, with a new service expected by July 1, 2026.
Closed Session and Appointments
- At 1:36 PM, the council unanimously voted to enter closed session pursuant to Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711.A(.1) to discuss appointments to the Citizens Police Advisory Group, Citizens' Unity Commission, Golf Course Advisory Committee, Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, and Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority.
- At 2:11 PM, the council unanimously certified the closed session. No specific appointments were announced in open session.
Key Outcomes
- No votes were taken on the VPCC presentation or the camping ordinance; these were briefings and discussions only.
- The council unanimously approved the motion to enter closed session and later certified the closed session.
- The meeting adjourned at 2:11 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the Hampton City Council work session. Uh, Madam Clerk, you call the role, please. Councilman Bowman. Present. Vice Mayor Brown. Here. Councilwoman Campbell. Present. Councilwoman Fairby. Present. Councilwoman Harper. Present. Councilwoman Mugler. Present. Mayor Gray. Present. And we have a couple of presentations on the agenda this afternoon. So I'm going to ask the city manager, city manager to introduce the first. Ms. Mayor, our first item today is a presentation, an update from the Virginia Peninsula Community College, which is a wonderful asset in our community for everyone from our high school students all the way up to adults who are seeking to improve their skills training or just want to learn. Good morning, good afternoon, actually, esteemed counsel. Thank you so much for having us. We bring you greetings from President Brandon and Virginia Peninsula Community College. My name is Nikia Maidry Smith, Director of Campus and Community Initiatives. And we were sort of introduced already, so I don't know if we want to do it again, but sure. Hi, I'm Ada Badgley. I'm the Chief of Staff. Steve Carpenter, Vice President of the Finance Administration. All right, welcome. Thank you. Thank you. And we we thank you for the time and this opportunity to kind of present some of our college updates, some of the things that we're working on, some of the things that we're excited about. So we're extremely excited to report that for the first time in many years, some years we're growing. So after some decline, we have observed two consecutive years. Excuse me, there we go. Two consecutive years of enrollment growth, and we are on track for that third year. We do feel that this is unique to BPCC because many institutions here in the area are still struggling with enrollment. Um that's both at the four-year and the community college level. As you can see here in this chart, Hampton students play a big role in our success, representing about 24.7% of our total enrollment. In addition to our students here, we attribute this enrollment success to how we are engaging with students on the peninsula. We hold fast track events where students can enroll in a day. We're at middle schools, high schools, we host open houses, new student orientations, small and large group campus tours, and personalized care through one-on-one appointments. On the workforce side, fast forward funding has become a critical component for how we can deliver on our mission to provide access to short-term credential programs, which lead our community members to high-paying, high-demand jobs that also fill that workplace uh gap for our employers. The workforce credential grant is a state-funded program that covers two-thirds of a student's tuition. They pay that first third up front, and once they successfully complete that credential, that two-thirds kicks in. But I would like to point out that with other funding options, other assistance programs, most of our students pay little to nothing, so we're very excited about that, proud about that. Since established in 2016, we have seen growth in the fast forward program by about 127%, representing about 20% year over year. So the VCCS has been reallocating funds up through fiscal year 2025, but beginning this year, fiscal year 2026. Um those budget adjustments just weren't possible, and so it has impacted our ability to serve a larger number of students through the that fast forward funding. These programs typically range from two weeks to six months, and they're designed to get students to work very fast in these high demand fields.
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