Alexandria City Council unanimously approved the release of $513,055 in contingency funds for the city’s DOT Paratransit program on Tuesday night after staff presented a comprehensive package of cost-saving measures and efficiency improvements.
The council had placed 25% of the paratransit program’s funding in reserve at the beginning of fiscal year 2026, directing staff to identify ways to improve performance and reduce costs before releasing the money.
Alexandria residents receiving food assistance will see their benefits shift to a new state-funded program next week as federal SNAP funding lapses amid a government shutdown.
The Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance Program will begin Monday, providing weekly payments to the nearly 6,000 households and approximately 12,000 individuals in Alexandria who currently receive SNAP benefits, city officials said Tuesday night.
The Alexandria City Council has canceled its town hall meeting previously scheduled for next Wednesday, Nov. 5.
No reason was provided for the cancellation, and the city said that the next meeting will be rescheduled for early 2026.
D.C.-based real estate investment company Carr Properties has been awarded Alexandria’s top archeology award.
On Tuesday, Oct. 28, the City Council will announce the award and commend the company for its “commitment to the highest quality archaeological preservation at the site of the Alexandria Canal in Old Town North,” according to a proclamation. Carr Properties partnered with the city after uncovering part of Alexandria’s history as it worked to redevelop a 1980s-era office building into a mixed-use apartment building.
The Alexandria City Council will meet Tuesday for its regular legislative session, with agenda items ranging from flood preparedness funding to an update on the city’s parking enforcement pilot program.
The meeting begins with a closed executive session at 5:30 p.m., followed by the public session at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber at 301 King St.
The Alexandria City Council will host a town hall meeting on Nov. 5 (Wednesday) at the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center (1108 Jefferson Street) in Old Town.
“Members of the Alexandria City Council will be present to speak about the issues impacting you and your family. You can also get the latest news on upcoming projects and initiatives in Alexandria,” the city said in a release.
The Alexandria City Council will open its budget season with an annual retreat in the West End on Saturday, Nov. 1.
The meeting will be held in-person in the first-floor community conference room of the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive) from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Council will receive a revenue forecast, expenditure overview and a preliminary budget gap from city staff, as well as a presentation from Alexandria City Public Schools and other city departments.
An audience of thousands held signs and cheered as Alexandria leaders decried the Trump administration at the second No Kings rally outside City Hall on Saturday.
The first No Kings rally was held in June, albeit against a different backdrop of issues. Today’s event was held amid a shuttered federal government, increased crackdowns from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, and federal troops occupying cities across the country. The speakers today in Alexandria included U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th), Mayor Alyia Gaskins, retired general Randy Mannor and Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3rd), all of whom railed against the administration, joining more than 2,700 similar demonstrations around the country.
More than a dozen Alexandria residents packed City Council chambers Saturday morning to demand elected officials publicly condemn what they described as Sheriff Sean Casey’s voluntary collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The speakers, part of the ICE Out of Alexandria coalition, called on council members during the scheduled public hearing to take a public stance against the sheriff’s practice of holding inmates beyond their release time and making courtesy calls to ICE about upcoming releases.
Alexandria leaders will join more than 600 people Sunday afternoon at a major gathering aimed at launching a statewide movement to address Virginia’s housing shortage and affordability crisis.
Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, and City Council members Canek Aguirre and Jacinta Greene are expected to attend the assembly organized by VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith and Community Engagement) and the Commonwealth Housing Coalition, according to organizers.
Alexandria City Council appointed six new commissioners to the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority board during a special meeting on Wednesday night, one day after eight of nine board members resigned under pressure from city leaders.
The emergency appointments aim to restore the functioning of ARHA’s governing board, which oversees more than 1,100 public housing units and serves over 2,700 residents through various programs.
