Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Budget Public Hearing – February 26, 2026
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Budget Public Hearing – February 26, 2026
This public hearing was the first of two sessions held by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to receive community input on the proposed FY2027 budget and tax rates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Over a dozen speakers addressed the board, focusing primarily on the need for increased funding for affordable housing, permanent supportive housing (PSH), human services nonprofits, and youth mental health programs. No votes or formal decisions were taken.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kristen Langhorn (Asburn District resident) advocated for critical support services for vulnerable neighbors, specifically permanent supportive housing (PSH). She expressed concern that the county has repeatedly rejected state-funded PSH units and that Department of Family Services (DFS) staff cited staffing limitations as a reason for considering program closure. She requested that the board learn about plans to invest in staff and collaboration to prevent vulnerable residents from becoming unsheltered.
- Lisa Max (CEO, Ark of Loudoun; Chair, Loudoun Human Services Network (LHSN)) expressed gratitude for the proposed 3% increase to the Human Services Nonprofit Program (HSNP) but raised concerns that increasing the maximum grant request from $113,000 to $135,000 could cause vital organizations to lose funding. She requested an analysis of how the increased maximum might affect total grantees and, if necessary, an increase to the overall funding pool. She also urged additional funding for housing-related services, including more PSH.
- Joe Meyer (CEO, Shelter House) presented data showing that homelessness in Loudoun has increased dramatically since 2021: family homelessness up 143%, households without children up 258%, hypothermia shelter usage up 83%, and drop-in service usage up 112%. He noted that Loudoun has the highest rate of unsheltered chronically homeless single adults in the metropolitan region, yet only 14 PSH beds exist (10 for singles). He requested a 5% increase to existing service contracts and additional funding for PSH.
- Amanda Carwin (Loudoun Director, Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance) thanked the board for committing $86 million to attainable housing since FY2023 and dedicating a full penny of the real property tax to the housing fund, but stated the county is not on track to meet its housing goals. She highlighted that homelessness is increasing and that Loudoun lags behind other jurisdictions in PSH investment. She cited the recent displacement of 86 families in Leesburg as an example of the crisis. She urged investment in programs, services, and support to bridge the gap to home ownership.
- Kim Tapper (Executive Director, A Place to Be; LHSN Executive Committee) echoed concerns about the HSNP grant maximum increase and requested an analysis of its impact. She suggested either increasing the total funding pool or reconsidering the new maximum to avoid unintentionally decreasing services. She expressed gratitude for a $5 million investment through the Community Foundation but emphasized the need for a human services strategic plan involving nonprofits, the county, and LCPS.
- Kim Hart (Managing Director, Good Housing) acknowledged the county’s progress in funding attainable housing (from $0 in 2016 to $29 million), but warned that at the current pace, the county will miss its 2040 goal by more than 4,000 units. He requested that the board fund a refresh of the United Housing Needs Strategic Plan to reassess goals and ensure sufficient land, zoning, and funding.
- Lakeisha Gore McDerfee (Chair, Loudoun County Commission on Aging) spoke on behalf of older adults, the county’s fastest-growing population (44,000 residents aged 65+). She recommended five areas of focus: annual review of the strategic plan through an aging lens, dedicated funding for aging initiatives, housing set-asides, continued tax relief and transportation support, and sustained funding for PRCS area agency on aging programs (adult day centers, senior trips, community programming). She noted that senior centers are full, adult day centers have wait lists, and demand for home-delivered meals is increasing.
- Theos Tomalis (Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce) expressed appreciation for the board’s investment in the Loudoun Housing Trust Fund, calling housing stability an economic imperative. He raised concerns about Loudoun’s lack of PSH beds compared to other Northern Virginia jurisdictions and urged the board to support expanding PSH to mitigate downstream costs in emergency services and shelter placements.
- Kumkum Kunaparedi (Secretary, Shelter House Board of Directors) emphasized that a flat budget is effectively a cut given rising need due to economic anxiety and federal layoffs. She requested a 5% increase to keep programs working and urged expansion of PSH. She warned that without a place to land, people cycle through crisis indefinitely.
- Dr. James Smith (Resident, Sterling; Board member, Shelter House, Health Services Agency of Northern Virginia) supported increased funding for PSH, noting Loudoun is the healthiest county in Virginia and can do more to address homelessness.
- Thomas Price (Resident, 20+ years) opposed a proposal to put School Resource Officers (SROs) in every elementary school, calling it costly and unnecessary. He urged redirecting those funds to youth mental health programs and counseling services, citing isolation and vulnerability among youth.
- Mitch Chris Bell (Director of Real Estate Development, True Ground Housing Partners) thanked the county for its investments in affordable housing loans and encouraged additional funding for affordable housing programs, PSH, and the use of publicly owned land for housing development. He cited COG data identifying a need for tens of thousands of additional homes in Loudoun.
Key Outcomes
- No votes or decisions were taken during this session; the hearing was solely for public input.
- Madam Chair (the presiding supervisor) noted that board members not present would watch video recordings before budget deliberations, and she committed to scheduling a meeting with Shelter House and other interested supervisors to clarify the 5% funding request and discuss next steps.
Meeting Transcript
What's happening here? Thank you. Hello, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Um, February twenty-sixth, two thousand twenty-five, loud and county board supervisors public hearing about the budget. This room has a hearing loop. If you need hearing assistance, please put your hearing aid to the telecall mode. If you need a headset, we have those available as well. Please see the clerk to request one. I have to be in DC at six o'clock. So Mr. Turner's going to conduct the six o'clock meeting. I have to also say I have no idea how I'm going to get to DC by six o'clock. But we're going to do it'll be at Northwest DC. I don't know where I'm going, but we're I'm going to do my best. Um, so this public hearing is about the budget. It allows members of the public to address the board on the proposed um budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2026, and ending June 30th, 2027, the FY 2027 proposed budget and the proposed tax rates on real and personal property for the tax year beginning July 1st, 2026 and ending December 2031, 2026. There are sessions for comment on the proposed budget by any member of the public may address you may address the public, but only at one session. If you wish to speak to the on this public hearing, if you've not already done so for today, please sign up to the clerk with the clerk to uh sign up. If you are speaking, you will be allowed in two minutes. If you're in in the boardroom, I'm going to ask when your name is called, please come to the podiums closest to you. State your name for the record. If you'd like to say your district you're from, you can do that as well. The timer on the podium will indicate your remaining time. When your time has expired, I will ask that you um wrap up your comments and yield the floor to the next speaker. Per the board's rules of orders. Um, when a member of the public is providing comments in a language other than English, we did decide this, I think it was two years ago, and choose an interpreter, the member of the public and the interpreter will both have up to two minutes to address the board. The way we do that though, is we just put four minutes on the timer and they just go. That's that's how we do that. Do that. If you're providing your comments via phone, I'm going to ask you to use your own stopwatch or equipment because when you get to a minute 30 uh seconds, I don't want to stop you and tell you like you have 30 seconds to go because it messes up your flow. But when you get to two minutes, I will stop you then. So if you cannot see the clock in our boardroom, um just be sure to set your own time so you can watch your own time. Um, when taking public input, I will ask the people in the boardroom first, wishing to speak, and then I will go to the moderator. And that's if there are any speakers online. Please note that there's a slight delay between the broadcast and the boardroom. Although not all board members are able to attend the um, like I can't be here at six. I will say that my colleagues and and I um will go back and watch the video um recordings, the video tape of this um public hearing before we start our budget deliberations, especially at this three o'clock time. It's hard for some of my colleagues who work in DC to get there, but I have talked to them today. Um, if if you if somebody is not on this day as right now, I have already spoke to them today, and they have assured me that they will go back and watch the um the public comments. Finally, um Andy, can you hear me? Yes, madam chair. Wonderful. Okay, I'm gonna call your names um two in advance so that you know you are next up to speak. Our first meeting, our first meeting, our first speaker is Kristen Langhorn, call up followed by Lisa Max, followed by Joe Meyer. Good evening. Good afternoon, and thank you for this opportunity to speak. My name is Kirsten Langhorn, resident of Aspern District, and I'm here to advocate for critical support services for our most vulnerable neighbors. I have been blessed with many advantages in life, but my family has not escaped the desperate challenges too many of us do when a loved one's brain chemistry or body prevents them from keeping themselves sheltered and safe. If your worlds have been free from these challenges, please try to imagine a sibling or child being captured by a severe mental health disorder, traumatized by military service, or victimized in a violent relationship, and is no longer able to sustain themselves.
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