Coordinated Homeless Intake & Access (CHIA)

What is CHIA?

CHIA is a dedicated phone line for households experiencing a housing crisis in the Greater Lynchburg area including the City of Lynchburg and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell.

Who Can CHIA Help?

  • Community members who are already literally homeless and unsheltered

    • Their nighttime residence is outside, in a vehicle, or an abandoned building. They have no other place to stay with friends/family or funds to stay in a hotel.

  • Community members facing imminent homelessness:

    • They will lose their home/place to stay in the next 14 days

Contact Information/Hours:

  • CHIA is available by phone, 434-427-2442, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm unless otherwise specified. If CHIA is not able to answer your call, please leave a voicemail. CHIA returns ALL voicemails.

CHIA Can:

  • Assist someone fleeing an unsafe housing situation

  • Connect households to shelter options

  • Listen to the community member’s concerns about their housing, timeline/deadline, and solutions they have already tried or plan to try next.

  • Offer information and discuss programs most appropriate for the housing situation

  • If applicable, CHIA will complete a referral for household for emergency shelter, homeless prevention, or street outreach.

A referral from CHIA does not guarantee a spot at shelter OR funding. Callers are always encouraged to parallel plan with provided resources and work towards alternative solutions, even if they're temporary.

 

Additional Resources

  • The Salvation Army of Lynchburg has activated their Warming Shelter, located in their Center for Hope building, at 2215 Park Avenue, Lynchburg VA 24501.

    Shelter Hours

    • The warming shelter will be open every night from December 1st to March 31st.

    LOW-BARRIER: ALL ARE WELCOME

    Shelter Schedule:

    Hot Dinner: served every night, begins at 4:30pm

    Shelter Intakes: begins at 6:00pm

    Guests are Dismissed: 8:00am*

    *subject to change based on weather

  • 211 Virginia is a free, confidential, and accessible service that connects people to information about:

    • Rental Assistance

    • Utilities Assistance

    • Home Repair

    • Affordable Housing

    • Shelter

    • Employment

    • Healthcare, and more!

    To reach 211, please dial 211 or chat with them using this link.

  • If you are actively fleeing domestic violence or assault, the following hotlines are free, confidential, and available 24/7:

    Bedford County:

    • Toll-Free: 1-877-656-1984

    City of Lynchburg, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell and Pittsylvania County (northern part of county):

    • Toll-Free: 1-888-528-1041

    Statewide:

    • Toll-Free: 1-800-838-8238

  • The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached 24/7 by calling or texting 988. This lifeline serves anyone, anywhere, who may be experiencing thoughts of suicide, a substance use crisis, or another mental health crisis.

  • Understanding the notice you received from your landlord is very important. Only a judge can evict you from a property.

    Please visit this website to learn more about the eviction timeline.

  • If you have questions about your rights as a tenant or the court process, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified legal resource:

    Virginia Legal Aid

    • Legal Line: 1-866-534-5243

    • Local Lynchburg Office: 434-846-1326

    Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia (HOME)

    • If you feel you have faced housing discrimination, request assistance by visiting HOME’s website.