Housing and Healthy Communities Advisory Board
Summary
The Housing and Healthy Communities Advisory Board (HHCAB, also referred to as HCAB) is a permanent advisory board of the City of Fairfax established in July 2024. It grew out of a homelessness task force created in 2023 to study root causes of homelessness and make recommendations to City Council, including the addition of staff capacity for affordable housing and homelessness. The board brings together residents and professionals working within the city, and is staffed by Housing Program Manager Jamie Ergas. Its charter requires it to report to City Council once per year; its first such presentation was given at the December 2, 2025 City Council Work Session by Chair Mark Light and Vice-Chair Susan Lacroix, covering housing landscape data, homelessness Point-in-Time data, ALICE/workforce population indicators, and workplan updates including a Home Sharing initiative and Housing Trust Fund. Following that presentation, HHCAB formed a strategy team that met regularly and contributed to the development of Housing Trust Fund guidelines and an application process, which were brought before Council at the July 14, 2026 meeting. As of mid-2026, a large cohort of HHCAB members are approaching the end of their terms, prompting the City Clerk's office to coordinate with Jamie Ergas on reappointments and vacancies; Council discussed conducting HHCAB reappointment interviews separately from other boards and commissions, tentatively on August 18.
Open questions & options on the table
- Reappointment interviews for the large cohort of HHCAB members whose terms end in 2026 are pending — the tentative interview date discussed was August 18, but logistics (which members are seeking reappointment vs. resigning, exact number of vacancies) are still being worked out with Housing Program Manager Jamie Ergas.
- Final adoption status and implementation of the Housing Trust Fund guidelines and application process brought forward July 14, 2026 is not resolved in the record.
- Status of the Affordable Housing Strategic Plan adoption (referenced February 17, 2026) and any resulting direction to HHCAB is not confirmed in the record.
What members have said
Light presented the board's first annual update to City Council at the December 2, 2025 work session, noting it was HHCAB's first appearance before Council and that reporting out once per year was part of the board's charter as adopted by City Council.
Lacroix co-presented the December 2, 2025 annual update to City Council alongside Chair Mark Light, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to appear before the Council.
At the July 28, 2026 discussion on board reappointment interviews, Peterson noted that approximately 12–13 of the roughly 20 candidates on the interview list appeared to be HHCAB members, and indicated flexibility on interview scheduling.
Ergas served as staff liaison to HHCAB and presented alongside board leadership at the December 2, 2025 work session; she also brought forward the Housing Trust Fund guidelines and application to Council on July 14, 2026, noting that HHCAB's strategy team had been meeting regularly to develop those processes after the December presentation.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[10] Staff noted that City Council would consider whether to support the Housing and Healthy Communities Advisory Board at its July 23, 2024 meeting.
[4a] HHCAB leadership presented an overview of the board's purpose, membership, current housing landscape data, homelessness Point-in-Time data, ALICE/workforce population indicators, and workplan updates including the Home Sharing initiative and Housing Trust Fund. No Council action was taken.
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.