Budget Story FY 2026

BUDGET STORY FY 2026

LEARN HOW OUR BUDGET WILL IMPACT AND SERVE YOU IN THE COMING YEAR.

WELCOME TO LOUDOUN

A MESSAGE FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR I am pleased to share with you, the residents of Loudoun, the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Story. In this Budget Story, we explore how our $4.7 billion budget impacts you and how new programs and resources will serve you in the coming year. The FY 2026 budget adds 236 positions in 30 different county departments to open new facilities, maintain or enhance current programs, support the county’s Capi tal Improvement Program (CIP), and pursue the Board’s strategic initiatives. The Board also amended the FY 2025-2030 CIP, which totals approximately $3.8 billion for the six- year planning period and includes county and school projects. Several of the county projects are highlighted in the Budget Story. In the coming pages, you will find detailed appropriations information for the Board’s entire adopted budget, including a breakdown of the county’s main operating fund, the General Fund, which totals $3.0 billion for FY 2026. You will also find featured content that, I hope, will provide you with a deeper understanding of the value of your contribution as a taxpayer to the services provided to you, your family, your neighbors and your community.

FY 2026 ADOPTED BUDGET

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • GENERAL FUND REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES • CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

The full FY 2026 Adopted Budget can be found online at loudoun.gov/budget

Tim Hemstreet County Administrator

BUDGET CYCLE

2 | FALL

1 | SUMMER

• Preliminary revenue forecasts • Departments refine base budget needs

• Fiscal year begins July 1 • Departments evaluate needs and plan for the future

• Additional funding requests for staff, programs, and capital facilities analyzed and prioritized

3 | WINTER

• Public invited to provide input during three public hearings • Board discusses budget proposal at work sessions • Board adopts the budget and tax rates 4 | SPRING

• Board provides final tax rate guidance for budget preparation • County Administrator proposes budget

to Board of Supervisors • Board and public review Proposed Budget

Loudoun County employees featured on the cover: Left to right: Mark Borromeo, County Administration; Saarah Baig, Housing and Community Development; Lt. Alex Szuchnicki, Combined Fire and Rescue System; Sgt. Marcus Whitfield, Sheriff’s Office; Elsie Gordillo and Willow, Animal Services; Michelle Wood, Health Department.

2 / FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA

BUDGET OVERVIEW

APPROPRIATED FUNDS The FY 2026 Adopted Budget appropriates revenue and expenditure authority in many different types of funds. The county’s main operating fund, the General Fund, totals $3.0 billion for FY 2026. The General Fund collects the county’s most prevalent revenue sources, including real and personal property tax, sales tax, and general fines and user fees. Of its $3.0 billion total, nearly $1.4 billion is sent to Loudoun County Public Schools. The remaining balance is used to support staff salaries, other operating expenses, and the Capital Improvement Program. Other appropriated funds, called special revenue funds, serve more specific purposes and collect revenue independent of the General Fund. FUND APPROPRIATIONS FUND

APPROPRIATIONS Tall Oaks Water and Sewer Fund.......................................................$60,572 Children’s Services Act Fund.......................................................$10,331,436 Disposable Plastic Bag Tax Fund....................................................$750,000 Dulles Town Center DCA Fund.....................................................$3,500,000 EMS Transport Reimbursement Program Fund.....................$9,000,000 James Horton Program for the Arts Fund........................................$1,000 Housing Fund.................................................................................$22,300,000 Legal Resource Center Fund...........................................................$175,861 Metro Garages Fund.......................................................................$3,498,832 Opioid Abatement Settlement Fund................................................$187,651 Rental Assistance Program Fund...............................................$12,887,820 Restricted Use Transient Occupancy Tax Fund.......................$5,280,000 Self-Insurance Fund.........................................................................$5,455,700 State and Federal Grant Fund.......................................................$5,075,574 Symington Fund.....................................................................................$60,000 Uran Holocaust Library Fund..............................................................$30,000

YOUR TAX DOLLAR AT WORK General Fund............................................................................$2,994,028,000 School Operating Fund.............................................................$1,962,144,782 School Grant Fund .....................................................................$32,844,591 School Nutrition Fund...................................................................$53,382,342 School Lease Purchase Fund....................................................$10,002,000 County Capital Projects Fund...................................................$507,437,269 School Capital Projects Fund......................................................$81,760,000 County Capital Asset Preservation Program Fund.................$32,134,118 School Capital Asset Preservation Program Fund.............$48,000,000 Capital Projects Financing Fund...........................................$301,928,047 Major Equipment Replacement Fund........................................$5,500,000 Public Facilities Fund....................................................................$14,282,222 Transportation District Fund......................................................$153,001,558 County Debt Service Fund........................................................$264,976,926 School Debt Service Fund - Leases............................................$8,118,764 Route 28 Special Improvements Fund....................................$26,830,000

FY 2026 Adopted Budget YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK | FY 2026 Adopted Budget

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

DEBT County $0.03 Schools $0.06

SCHOOLS $0.54

County $0.08 Schools $0.02

PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURE $0.03

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT $0.02

MISCELLANEOUS $0.01

HEALTH & WELFARE $0.04

PUBLIC SAFETY & JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION $0.10

GENERAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION $0.07

Source: Office of Management and Budget: Proportions are calculated as a share of local tax funding in the General Fund.

Source: Loudoun County OMB

FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA / 3

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

pool with spectator seating, leisure pool, spa, full-size gymnasium, large fitness area, running track, soft sensory playroom, multipurpose room with a catering and teaching kitchen, classrooms, offices and meeting spaces. The gymnasium includes game line markings for basketball, volleyball and pickleball courts. Outside, the center includes a multiuse trail around the property, a large courtyard with seating, a splash play area and playground equipment.

Ashburn Recreation and Community Center The two-story Ashburn Recreation and Community Center, located off Broadlands Boulevard, west of the intersection with Claiborne Parkway opened July 31, 2025. The facility features a 50-meter competition The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is a budgeting tool that Loudoun County uses to strategically plan for community growth. It is used to schedule the financing, design, land acquisition, utility relocation, and construction of public facilities such as libraries, parks, fire stations, sheriff stations, roads, sidewalks, and bus stop shelters. The adopted budget reflects the estimated and projected costs of implementing the CIP. The CIP is six-year plan that is approved biennially, with one year of appropriations made at a time. The second year of the biennial period is used to make amendments; the FY 2026 budget represents an amendment year. The current six-year CIP period is FY 2025 - FY 2030. The six-year period moves out an additional two years at the end of the biennial period. This section features a selection of notable CIP-funded projects that will be completed or newly receive funding in FY 2026. SIX-YEAR TOTAL EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION Amended FY 2025-2030 Roads .................................................................................. $1.166B Schools .............................................................................. $1.038B General Government ...................................................... $374M Administration ................................................................... $221M Parks, Recreation and Culture ........................................ $288M Public Safety ....................................................................... $207M Sidewalks and Trails ......................................................... $177M Intersection Improvement Program ............................ $96M Information Technology.................................................... $86M Transit .................................................................................... $72M Towns .................................................................................... $43M Health and Welfare ........................................................... $11M

The Ashburn Recreation and Community Center includes a 50-meter competition pool and the largest full-size gymnasium of any county facility.

THE FY 2025-2030 CIP INCLUDES OVER 184 PROJECTS Including projects in the following categories

36 36 13 12 8

ROAD PROJECTS

SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS PROJECTS

PARKS AND LIBRARY PROJECTS

SCHOOL PROJECTS

PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECTS

4 / FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA

Fire and Rescue Facilities The CIP includes several projects to improve the physical facilities of the Combined Fire and Rescue System including two projects that are scheduled for completion in FY 2026. • The new Basic Training Facility for the Fire and Rescue System will provide a dedicated educational training facility for incoming career and volunteer fire and rescue candidates. The facility has been designed similar to a typical Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Station, including drive-thru apparatus bays, which will give recruits a realistic fire station experience during emergency response training. The new facility will be located on the existing Fire-Rescue Center Training Center property. • The Round Hill Fire and Rescue Station #4, a replacement for the current Round Hill Fire and Rescue Station, will provide an updated, accessible facility for the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue career personnel who are stationed there along with members of the Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department. The facility will be located on a nine-acre site adjacent to the Western Loudoun Sheriff’s Station. COUNTY CIP PROJECTS BY ELECTION DISTRICT The list below demonstrates the spread of both county capital projects and county-supported or managed transportation projects funded in the current six-year funding plan across the county’s Election Districts. Excluded from this list are projects that either do not have a location by their nature, such as those in the Administrative and Information Technology functional areas; those that fund the procurement of large assets, such as the Fire Apparatus and Transit Bus projects; or School projects. 11 10

The new Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Basic Training Facility is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2025.

Algonkian Ashburn Broad Run Catoctin

Dulles Leesburg Little River Sterling

16 14

FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA / 5

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center Construction is underway for the new Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center that is intended to help improve the behavioral health and well-being of the community by providing around-the-clock care, including urgent psychiatric care for adults who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services will oversee the operation

of the center, which will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. The center will reduce the reliance on law enforcement in situations where behavioral health services are required and will address the needs of the individual in crisis by offering timely intervention and treatment. The 20,500-square-foot facility is scheduled to open in 2026.

The new Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center will expand the county’s services to adults experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

INTERVIEW WITH | Tammala Watkins, PhD., LCSW, MSW | Crisis Services Assistant Director The funding for the new Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Center includes over $9.7 million of grants for the construction of the facility. The center is expected to be completed in 2026. What services will be provided at the center? How does the center fit into the Marcus Alert program?

The center will be the third arm of the Marcus Alert program, which provides for ‘Someone to Call, Someone to Respond and Somewhere to Go.’ It will be ‘Somewhere to Go.’ What are some benefits of this type of center? One of the biggest benefits is that it allows individuals to get the care they need within their community. The center also benefits law enforcement and EMS, because they have a place where they can bring someone in an acute psychiatric crisis without having to take them to an emergency room.

We will have 16, 23-hour chairs, which will allow individuals to be assessed, treated and stabilized within those 23 hours. If the person needs more care, they could move into the Crisis Stabilization Unit for a short stay. There will also be an urgent psychiatric center, where individuals can come in, be seen and potentially be provided medication to prevent the crisis from escalating.

6 / FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA

Connections Several projects in the CIP are designed to improve bicyclist and pedestrian safety and accessibility as well as connectivity to bike and pedestrian trails and transit options, including Loudoun Transit bus service and Metrorail stations. They include: • Ashburn Village Boulevard Sidewalk: This 844-foot sidewalk along the west side of Ashburn Village Boulevard will improve access to a Loudoun Transit bus stop and connect to upgraded pedestrian ramps at Farmwell Road and Michener Drive. • Belmont Ridge Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Crossing: This project provides for the design, right-of-way acquisition and construction of a 2,000-foot, shared-use path along Belmont Ridge Road on either side of the Dulles Greenway overpass to allow pedestrians and bicycles access across the Greenway. • Metro Station Area Pedestrian Improvements: This project, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation, will construct missing segments in the bicycle and pedestrian network within two miles of the Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn Metrorail stations, improving bicyclist and pedestrian safety, accessibility and connectivity to the stations. • Montresor Road Sidewalk: This project will construct a 3,000-foot sidewalk along Montresor Road between Beninbrough Place and Limestone Branch Place, improving pedestrian safety for residents of the Selma Estates community.

Union Street School Rehabilitation The historic Union Street School on Union Street NW in Leesburg, which dates to the late 19th century, is being renovated for public access and adaptive reuse. The renovations for the two-story structure include an entryway addition with an elevator, utility additions and updates, fire protection and accessibility upgrades that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Union Street School is part of Loudoun County’s Resident Curator Program, which helps to preserve the county’s historic buildings by rehabilitating and maintaining underutilized historic properties and making them accessible to the public. The building is recognized in state and national historic registers for the vital role it played in the education of Black students in Loudoun from 1894 to 1958. The Loudoun Freedom Center has been selected to serve as the curator for the property when the county project is completed, which is expected in October 2025. The Center will then be responsible for the day-to-day operation, maintenance and security of the facility.

Loudoun is undertaking several sidewalk projects aimed at improving safety and accessibility for pedestrians and bicycle riders.

The historic Union Street School is being renovated as part of the county’s Resident Curator Program.

FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA / 7

Founded in 1757, Loudoun County is a growing, dynamic county of over 450,000 people. Loudoun is known for its beautiful scenery, rich history, healthy diversity of expanding business opportunities, comfortable neighborhoods, and high-quality public services. The following demographics shape the county’s services and budget. POPULATION Loudoun County remains the 4th most populated county in Virginia, with a population increase exceeding 20 percent since 2015, including more than 7 percent from 2020 to 2025.

FY 2026 Population Projection: 462,063

100,000 0 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000

2.2% 1.9%

4.7% 3.1%

6.4%

7.8%

14.2%

18.0%

20.5%

2015

2020 2025

2010

2030 2035

2050

2040 2045

Source: Decennial Census (2010,2020) Loudoun County Office of Management and Budget (2015, 2025), Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Cooperative Round 10.0 Cooperative Forecast (2030-2050)

PATHWAY TO STABILIZATION

AGE COMPOSITION Age composition of our population is shifting

100% 90% 80% 70%

60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Loudoun County has been a high-growth locality for decades, but projections show a transition to a stable-growth locality over the next two decades. Recognizing the need for a proactive response to these shifts in population, demographics, land use, and revenues, the county introduced the concept of the Pathway to Stabilization to ensure that its services and programs remain effective and responsive to residents’ needs.

2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050

Age 0-4 Age 5-19 Age 20-24

Age 25-44 Age 45-64 Age 65+

Source: Moody’s Analytics, 2025

8 / FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA

RESIDENTIAL

New residential units have already begun shifting

Single-family detached

Single-family attached

Multi-family

4,500

4,000 3,000 3,500

2,500

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

2015

2020

2030

2035

2010

2045

2050

2025

2040

Source: Office of Management and Budget, 2024 Fiscal Impact Committee Guidelines

PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

FY 2025 Enrollment: 81,694

64 percent of Loudoun County residents 25 years and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher, nearly 30 percentage points higher than the national percentage.

100,000

80,000

Graduate or Professional Degree

15%

28%

22%

60,000

37%

36%

Bachelor’s Degree

40,000

Associate Degree/ Some College

18%

20,000

12% 6%

High School Graduate Less than High School Graduate

FY2010 FY2015 FY2020 FY2025

Source: Loudoun County Public Schools, School Board Adopted FY 2026 - FY 2031 Capital Improvement Program

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Table B15003

FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA / 9

FY 2026 GENERAL FUND

WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM:

TOTAL REVENUE $3.0 BILLION

$2.4 B

General Property Taxes

$223 M

Other Local Taxes

$43 M $51 M $71 M $108 M

Intergovernmental - Commonwealth

Other Financing Sources

Charges for Services

Use of Money and Property Permits, Fees and Licenses Intergovernmental - Federal

$14 M $27 M

Recovered Costs Fines and Forfeitures Miscellaneous Revenue

$2 M $265 K $11 M

Most of the county’s General Fund revenues are generated from taxes on real and personal property. The personal property tax, which is levied on items such as vehicles and computer equipment, is $4.15 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025. The adopted budget also plans for a reduction to the personal property tax on vehicles in tax year 2026 of $3.09 per $100 in assessed value, which is $1.06 lower than the current rate. The real property tax, which is the tax homeowners and businesses pay on their land and buildings, is $0.805 per $100 assessed value for tax year 2025, six cents lower than tax year 2024.

FY 2026 GENERAL FUND

WHERE THE MONEY GOES:

$1.4 B

Payment to Loudoun County Public Schools

$737 M

Personnel

Transfer to County Capital and Debt Service Funds

$498 M

$297 M $40 M

Operating and Maintenance

TOTAL EXPENDITURES $3.0 BILLION

Contribution to Revenue Stabilization Fund

Payments to Nonprofit, Regional and Intergovernmental Organizations

$19 M

$17 M

Transfer to Housing Fund

$7 M

Capital Outlay

The transfer to Loudoun County Public Schools ($1.4 billion) accounts for almost half of all General Fund expenditures, followed by county personnel costs ($737 million). The county provides more than $19 million to regional and intergovernmental organizations and nonprofits.

REAL PROPERTY TAX Loudoun County has one of the lowest Real Property Tax rates in the region.

$8,854

$8,757

TAX BILL YEAR 2025

$8,058

$6,280

LOUDOUN

ARLINGTON

FAIRFAX

ALEXANDRIA

Calculated using the average home value of $780,100 for tax year 2025 and each jurisdiction’s real property tax rate

VEHICLE TAX RATE Loudoun County has one of the lowest Vehicle Tax Rates in the region . The Tax Year 2026 rate will be even lower for Loudoun vehicles.

$5.33

$5.00

$4.57

TAX RATES YEAR 2025

$4.15

ALEXANDRIA

LOUDOUN

FAIRFAX

ARLINGTON

Source: Local Jurisdictions’ Websites

REVENUE STABILIZATION FUND $119.7 Million

DATA CENTERS REVENUE Data Centers generate over 1/3 of the county’s General Fund revenues

38%

The FY 2026 Adopted Budget includes $39.7 million for the Revenue Stabilization Fund, created by the Board of Supervisors in 2023 to address

62%

differences between budgeted revenues and actual revenues received from data centers. As of FY 2026, the Revenue Stabilization Fund is now fully funded.

Data Center Revenue Other Revenue

Source: County Administrator’s Proposed Budget Presentation

12 / FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA

520 SQUARE MILES

AGE OF RESIDENTS

6% Under 5

23% 5-19

33% 20-44

27% 45-64

11% 65+

U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S0101

TOP 5 LARGEST EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Health Care and Social Assistance

Accommodation and Food Services

Educational Services

Construction

Source: Chmura JobsEQ, Q2 quarter 2024

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Since 2007, Loudoun County’s Median Household Income has ranked the highest among U.S. counties with populations of 65,000 or greater.

3% 1.5% 5.8%

$200,000 or more $150,000 to $199,999 $100,000 to $149,999 $75,000 to $99,999 $50,000 to $74,999 $35,000 to $49,999 $25,000 to $34,999 Less than $24,999

5.4%

8.9%

Median Household Income: $174,148

43.1%

17.5%

14.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1901

5,299 COUNTY EMPLOYEES

BOND RATING Out of more than 3,000 counties nationwide, Loudoun is one of approximately 50 counties to earn a AAA bond rating from all three credit agencies.

A triple-A bond rating is important to the county government and taxpayers because it helps the county get the best possible interest rates to finance capital projects, saving millions of dollars.

Source: FY 2026 Adopted Budget, Total Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA / 13

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

Ensuring county agencies have the resources and support to do their jobs effectively.

The FY 2026 budget includes funding for programs to support improved access to transit options, expanded opportunities for early voting and the implementation of the Loudoun Equity Action Plan.

Transit and Commuter Services: Microtransit Pilot Program

Loudoun Transit launched a Microtransit Pilot Program in July 2025, allowing riders to request bus service through a smart phone app or phone call. The program is intended to determine whether on-demand transit services could replace bus service on low-performing, local fixed-routes. The Transit On Demand service is expected to increase mobility options for people who depend on transit for work, school, medical appointments and other daily activities. The pilot service area covers part of Leesburg, focusing on major commercial hubs, employment centers and some residential areas.

The new Transit On Demand program is powered by a smartphone application.

TOTAL BUDGET

Board of Supervisors ......................................................... $5.8M Commissioner of the Revenue ...................................... $14.7M County Administration ..................................................... $22.9M County Attorney .................................................................. $5.3M Elections & Voter Registration ........................................ $4.5M

Finance and Procurement .............................................. $10.7M General Services ............................................................. $127.8M Human Resources ............................................................. $12.9M Information Technology ................................................. $79.7M Treasurer ............................................................................... $9.6M

14 / FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA

Elections and Voter Registration: Early Voting Expansion

Office of the County Administrator: Equity and Inclusion Two new positions in the Office of Equity and Inclusion will play key roles in the implementation of the county’s first ever Loudoun Equity Action Plan (LEAP). The LEAP is a strategic plan designed to guide Loudoun County’s work to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. The new equity specialists will work toward achieving one of the plan’s goals—workforce readiness—helping to enhance the internal culture of the county organization by building employee understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility principles through education and policy implementation.

A new position in the Office of Elections and Voter Registration will be dedicated to overseeing early voting, which continues to increase as more and more Loudoun voters choose to vote early in person or by mail. The budget also includes funding for equipment and expenditures that will be needed to operate additional early voting sites that are planned for various locations throughout the county.

Early voting options in the county will continue to expand with additional locations planned.

The county’s efforts to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility continue with a focus in FY 2026 on the county workforce.

INTERVIEW | Gladys Hurwitz | Transit and Commuter Services Division Manager The FY 2026 budget includes funding for a Microtransit Pilot Program. What is the On Demand Microtransit Pilot and how will it work? goal of enhancing existing transit in the area particularly around key government offices,

Inova’s Loudoun Medical Campus, and commercial areas along Market Street. It also improves first and last mile connections to key locations. Additionally, the service expands geographic coverage and offers more mobility options for transit dependent populations, including households with limited car access. If the Transit On Demand pilot in Leesburg is successful, do you see it expanding to other areas in Loudoun County? This pilot presents a valuable opportunity to assess the feasibility of on-demand micro transit as a viable transportation option for the county. Transit staff will closely monitor data throughout the year to gain insights that will inform any planned future development of on-demand microtransit services in the county.

The pilot, called Transit On Demand, is a shared public transportation service that operates on an on-demand basis. The Transit On Demand pilot allows for passengers to request free rides via a smart phone app or by phone with targeted wait times of no more than 20 minutes. Our pilot service area will cover 6.2 square miles in Leesburg with over 150 stops in the area where a passenger could get picked up or dropped off. The vehicles used for on demand microtransit are generally smaller, such as a body on chassis minibus. The vehicles used for the pilot will be a van where riders will share a ride with other on demand microtransit riders. What are some of the benefits of the On Demand Microtransit pilot? The On Demand Microtransit Pilot has a

FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA / 15

PUBLIC SAFETY

Keeping Loudoun safe.

emergency and non-emergency calls during the late night and early morning hours. The resources will also help optimize patrol operations across all time periods.

The FY 2026 budget includes additional positions to support the growing demand for services at the Animal Shelter, improved response times for overnight law enforcement calls and improvements in the fire and rescue system.

Supporting Animals and People with Complex Needs

Four new positions in the Department of Animal Services will both supplement and enhance the current level of service level to keep up with demand for basic services such as animal intake, foster care placement and pet owner support. These positions will work together to provide a more comprehensive set of services to people and animals in the county by providing dedicated staffing for pet foster care, community clinic services and humane law enforcement dispatch. The additional positions will ensure that the county can meet the increasing need to provide temporary shelter at no cost to pets whose owners are in crisis. Nearly 75% of local animals received at the Animal Shelter require additional medical or behavioral intervention on intake. In FY 2024, the needs of some animals were so significant that 36% percent were placed in foster homes outside of the shelter. In addition, moving the foster care workload to a full- time employee will allow the volunteer coordinator to return to a full-time focus on volunteer onboarding,

Silver Ridge Significant Incident Report Recommendations for Fire and Rescue The FY 2026 budget includes funding for quality assurance and professional development positions that are necessary to address several recommendations presented in the Silver Ridge Incident Investigation Report. The report was commissioned after a catastrophic fire in 2024 on Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling. The fire, which was caused by a leaking propane gas tank, killed a Loudoun County firefighter and injured several other people, including ten first responders. The additional positions funded in the FY 2026 budget will help identify training needs, optimize the performance of the Computer-Aided Dispatch system and improve the overall effectiveness of the Emergency Call Center. New positions in the Department of Animal Services will help the county meet increased demand for services.

training, engagement and retention. Expanded Sheriff Field Operations

Thirteen new positions in the Sheriff’s Office will be strategically deployed as part of the “third shift modality,” which will cover the overnight hours and is intended to help improve response times for both

New positions in the Fire and Rescue System will address recommendations that came out of the investigation into a catastrophic fire in 2024.

TOTAL BUDGET

Animal Services .............................................................. $7.4M Clerk of the Circuit Court .............................................. $7.3M Commonwealth’s Attorney .......................................... $10.1M Community Corrections ............................................... $6.7M

Courts ............................................................................... $2.8M Fire and Rescue ........................................................... $174.9M Sheriff’s Office ............................................................. $163.1M Youth Services ................................................................ $10.1M

16 / FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Making sure residents who need a wide range of social, health and educational services receive them, often working closely with families in financial need and facing crises. The FY 2026 budget includes additional positions to support the increased demand for adult protective services, clinical health services, financial literacy education and public benefits and employment services. Adult and Aging Services To help meet the challenge of a growing number of older and vulnerable adults in Loudoun who need services and support, the Adult and Aging Team within the Department of Family Services will add three new positions in FY 2026. A significant increase in the number of intake calls has led to a higher-than- recommended caseload for adult protective services specialists and an inability to keep up with demand for service. These services are essential to the well- being and safety of older adults and those 18 years of age or older with disabilities. The additional resources will help ensure that all residents, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the services and support they need to age safely and with dignity in their communities.

Clinical Health Services The Health Department has seen an increased demand for two critical client services over the last few years: pre-admission screenings for nursing homes and tuberculosis care programs. Five new positions within the Health Department, including two public health nurses, will enable the department to meet the increased demand for services, comply with state mandates to complete pre-admission nursing home screenings within 30 days, improve supervision and oversight, and reduce the risk of disease transmission in the community, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. In addition to enhancing the department’s ability to offer tuberculosis care, it will expand access to tuberculosis screening for low- income students to comply with entry screenings for Loudoun County Public Schools.

The Loudoun County Health Department is facing an increased demand for clinical health services.

TOTAL BUDGET

Extension Services ..... .............. .......................................... $1.1M Family Services ......... ................. ....................................... $51.5M

Health .......... ..................................... ................................... $19.6M MHSADS ...... ................. ...................................................... $86.3M

INTERVIEW | Ryan M. Harrison | Department of Family Services Assistant Director

Many of the individuals that we are helping are not those who are signing applications: Many of our clients are children. With these enhancements and these resource requests, we are improving outcomes for children and families in Loudoun County What services will the new Employer Services Coordinator for the Virginia Initiative for Education and Work (VIEW) Program provide? There is a nexus between our public benefits positions and our Workforce Resource Center, where this person will work and will leverage their unique skill sets to match VIEW participants with employers. That role is basically to work with employers to let them know the unique needs of job seekers who are enrolled in the VIEW program.

The FY 2026 budget includes funding for 16 positions for the Department of Family Services’ Public Benefits Unit. How will the additional personnel in the Public Benefits Unit help improve the way the county delivers services to those in need? The additional resources will make an indelible change in the lives of our community members in the way of increasing access to the much-needed programs and services that we offer at the Department of Family Services. We are constantly trying to serve our client base more efficiently and respond with the urgency in which they seek services. And we have to be skilled and appropriately right-sized to do that.

FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA / 17

PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURE

After School (YAS) programs to enroll more students to meet the growing need for after-school care for children of working families. CASA and YAS, which are operated by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, provide supervised recreational opportunities for children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Library Services Assistant Division Manager The new assistant division manager in the Department of Library Services will bring much needed support to the Division of Branch Services Manager, who oversees ten branch managers and indirectly supervises over 84% of the staff of the Loudoun County Public Library. Loudoun’s Trails and Waterways The addition of a Natural Resources Manager and maintenance technicians in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services will support the Loudoun’s Trails and Waterways initiative. Planning for the future and developing the local economy to ensure Loudoun remains a great place to live, work, learn, and play.

Providing a wide variety of recreational, educational and cultural activities and facilities for county residents year-round. The FY 2026 budget includes additional positions within the Parks, Recreation and Culture functional area to meet the service demands of the county’s oldest and youngest residents. Resources are also being added to support the needs of the Loudoun County Public Library branches and to maintain the county’s expanding trail network. Elder Resources Caregiver Case Manager The new position of Elder Resources Caregiver Case Manager will enhance the Area Agency on Aging’s ability to meet both the immediate and long-term needs of the community. After-School Programs Expansion The expansion of Loudoun County’s after school programming with 11 new positions will allow the County After School Activities (CASA) and Youth

Library Services............................................................................................................................................................................. $27.6M Parks, Recreation and Community Services .......................................................................................................................... $94.0M TOTAL BUDGET

INTERVIEW | Lesley Katz | Elder Resources Program Manager, Area Agency on Aging The FY 2026 budget includes funding for a new position in the Elder Resources Program.

What type of services will the case manager provide? The position will provide personalized guidance and resource coordination. This will help caregivers reduce their stress, improve their quality of life and strengthen their support systems, which will lead to better outcomes for families and the entire community. This position will help older adults remain in their homes and communities of choice for as long as possible. Do you anticipate that the need for these services will continue to increase? Yes. Adults 55 years and older make up approximately 23% of the county’s population and the senior population will continue to grow.

How will the new position of Elder Resources Caregiver Case Manager help the Area Agency on Aging meet the needs of the community? Caregiving touches all of us, whether now or in the future and this role is a thoughtful and empathetic response to the real challenges that Loudoun County residents face. More than 53 million Americans are unpaid family caregivers, and that’s a number that continues to grow. We know in our work here that many are overwhelmed, they’re isolated and they’re unsure of where to turn. This new caregiver case manager position directly addresses that need by providing dedicated one-on-one support to help families navigate services, reduce stress and access critical resources.

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Planning for the future and developing the local economy to ensure Loudoun remains a great place to live, work, learn, and play. The FY 2026 budget includes additional positions within the Community Development functional area, including three new positions to support the county’s housing programs and an appropriation to the Housing Fund for attainable housing. Housing Fund Appropriation for Affordable Housing The FY 2026 budget includes approximately $17.3 million for the county’s Housing Fund. The appropriation comes from the dedication of the equivalent of a full penny of the real property tax rate to affordable housing needs. The fund, which is managed by the Department of Housing and Community Development, supports the county’s overall housing goal, which is to ensure that county residents can access housing that they can afford. The fund supports many of the county’s housing programs, including the Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Program, Home

Improvement Programs, the Neighborhood Stabilization Program and the Rental Housing Acquisition and Preservation Loan Program. Enhancing Housing Services Three new positions within the Department of Housing and Community Development will help expand the department’s ability to serve the needs of the public. A support specialist, inspector and counselor will help address the growing demands for affordable housing. Support for Businesses Two new positions in the Department of Building and Development and one in the Department of Economic Development will help support the county’s business community. Two of the positions will support the county’s Fast Track Program, which is designed to streamline the development process for targeted industries. The third position will serve as a dedicated resource to assist businesses with zoning, permits, referrals and other development-related inquiries.

TOTAL BUDGET

Building and Development ......................................... $33.1M Economic Development ............................................... $7.1M Housing and Community Development.................... $5.6M

Mapping and Geographic Information ..................... $4.5M Planning and Zoning ..................................................... $17.4M Transportation and Capital Infrastructure................ $11.7M

INTERVIEW | Brian Reagan | Department of Housing and Community Development Assistant Director The FY 2026 budget includes an increase in dedicated funding for the county’s affordable housing needs and three new housing-related positions.

We will also be using some of the funding to conduct several studies directed by the Board of Supervisors, including an evalua tion of the current Unmet Housing Needs Strategic Plan that was adopted in 2021; a look at housing policy for Transit-Oriented Development and the feasibility of a public housing authority. Are you seeing an increase in the number of people seeking assistance to find affordable housing? Yes. Whether it be through our purchase programs, our rental programs, our home ownership loan programs, our housing rehab programs, we are seeing increased requests from the community for assistance through those programs.

How will the $17.3 million dedicated to the county’s Housing Fund be used to help meet affordable housing needs in Loudoun? We are ready to put the money to good use and create new programs and expand exist ing programs to create a lot of good oppor tunities for affordable housing for residents of the county. For example, the Affordable Multi-Family Housing Loan Program serves as gap financing for developers that are bringing attainable rental housing into the county. There is a growing demand for that financing and money from the Housing Fund or Housing Trust Fund can be used for that.

FY 2026 BUDGET STORY, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA / 19

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors 2024 – 2027: (First row, from left to right) Sylvia R. Glass, Broad Run; Juli E. Briskman, Algonkian; Phyllis J. Randall, Chair At-Large; Michael R. Turner, Ashburn. (Second row, from left to right) Caleb A. Kershner, Catoctin; Kristen C. Umstattd, Leesburg; Laura A. TeKrony, Little River; Koran T. Saines, Sterling; Matthew F. Letourneau, Dulles.

ALGONKIAN – George Washington University

ASHBURN – Ashburn Library

LITTLE RIVER – Salamander Resort

CATOCTIN – Lucketts Community Center

LEESBURG – Historic Downtown

STERLING – Claude Moore Recreation Center

BROAD RUN – One Loudoun

DULLES – Dulles Airport

Office of Management & Budget | loudoun.gov/budget Phone: 703-777-0500 | P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177 | 1 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 For more information, visit loudoun.gov/budget. This document is a publication of Loudoun County Government.

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