Last updated: Nov. 13, 2026; 7:45 a.m.

Update #3: Nov. 13, 2026; 7:45 a.m.

The ongoing Microsoft outage continues to impact City services. While all City departments remain open for business today (Nov. 13), some services may be delayed or postponed until the outage is resolved. 

• Critical services provided by departments like Police, Fire, and 911 all remain operational and ready to respond to emergencies. 
• While Microsoft works to resolve the outage, residents should contact the City via telephone. Phone numbers for departments can be found on the front page of rva.gov in the ”Explore Our City” section.  
• Residents should anticipate delays to in-process, non-emergency requests and, if possible, are asked to wait until the outage has been resolved before opening new requests. 
• At this time the City does not believe any staff or resident data has been lost, but will DIT will continue to monitor systems in the days following restoration 

From Microsoft’s latest update at 7 a.m.: : 

We’re seeing encouraging recovery progress in Europe, with service availability and email delivery performance improving across a growing portion of affected Microsoft 365 infrastructure. Japan remains comparatively more stable, while North America is also improving; however, some users may still experience intermittent issues as recovery actions continue. 

We're focused on addressing the remaining areas of disruption and improving service consistency across affected regions. Reducing email queues and backlogs remains a priority, and the extended 48-hour email timeout window remains in place to help protect delayed messages as delivery catches up. 

At this time, we have no evidence of malicious activity associated with this incident. We will continue to treat this with urgency until full mitigation, and we will share a full Post-Incident Report with root cause and defense-in-depth actions after mitigation is complete. 

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La interrupción de los servicios de Microsoft sigue afectando los servicios de la Ciudad de Richmond. Aunque todos los departamentos municipales permanecen abiertos hoy, 13 de noviembre, algunos servicios podrían presentar retrasos o posponerse hasta que se resuelva la interrupción.

• Los servicios esenciales, tales como la Policía, el Departamento de Bomberos y la línea 911, siguen funcionando normalmente y están listos para responder a emergencias.
• Mientras Microsoft trabaja para resolver la interrupción, se pide a los habitantes que se comuniquen por teléfono con las oficinas municipales. Los números de teléfono de todos los departamentos se encuentran en la página principal de rva.gov, en la sección «Explore Our City».
• Se pide a los habitantes que esperen a que se resuelva la interrupción antes de presentar nuevas solicitudes no urgentes de servicio; se espera una demora en la resolución de solicitudes no urgentes que ya están en trámite.

Actualización recibida de Microsoft a las 7 a.m.:

Hasta este momento, la administración municipal no cree que se hayan perdido datos de su personal ni de los habitantes de la Ciudad; sin embargo, nuestros funcionarios seguirán monitoreando sus sistemas durante los días posteriores al restablecimiento del servicio. 

Estamos observando avances alentadores en la recuperación en Europa. La disponibilidad de los servicios y la entrega de correos electrónicos están mejorando cada vez más a través de la infraestructura afectada de Microsoft 365. Japón sigue mostrando una mayor estabilidad en comparación con otras regiones, aunque la situación también está mejorando en América del Norte; sin embargo, algunos usuarios podrían seguir experimentando problemas intermitentes mientras continúan las labores de recuperación.

Nos estamos concentrando en resolver las interrupciones que aún persisten y en mejorar la estabilidad del servicio en las regiones afectadas. Reducir la cantidad de correos electrónicos pendientes de entrega sigue siendo una prioridad. Se mantiene el plazo

ampliado de 48 horas antes de que caduquen los intentos de entrega, para ayudar a proteger los mensajes retrasados mientras se ponen al día las entregas.

Por el momento, no tenemos indicios de actividad maliciosa relacionada con este incidente; seguiremos trabajando con urgencia hasta resolverlo por completo. Una vez concluidas esas labores, compartiremos un informe completo posterior al incidente que incluirá la causa raíz y las medidas que se tomaron para reforzar las distintas capas de protección.

Update #2: Nov. 12, 2026; 6:40 p.m.

The large-scale Microsoft outage continues to impact City services across many departments. DIT continues to monitor Microsoft’s work to resolve the ongoing issues. From Microsoft’s latest update at 6:06 p.m.:

We've begun returning a portion of the affected servers to service, and they're remaining stable so far. We’ve also shifted traffic and connections to alternative pathways wherever possible and have observed limited recovery in some regions.

We've streamlined our recovery process to expedite returning the remaining affected servers to service. To further support recovery, we're implementing protective traffic management measures in a specific location to reduce load on the affected infrastructure, and we'll expand these measures to additional locations if we observe positive results. As capacity is restored, users may experience a gradual recovery as their clients reconnect to the service.

Update #1: Nov. 12, 2026; 3:37 p.m.

The City is experiencing service disruptions due to a nationwide Microsoft outage. DIT is working with Microsoft to resolve the issue. Updates will be shared as available.

Pursuant to § 24.2-653 of the Code of Virginia, the City of Richmond Electoral Board's Provisional Ballot Meeting, originally held on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, was recessed at 3:36 p.m. and reconvened on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

The meeting was recessed again on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 11:51 a.m. and will reconvene on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to continue reviewing and determining the validity of provisional ballots cast in the November 3, 2026, Election and to conduct any other business authorized under Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia.

Updated Meeting Information

Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: City of Richmond Office of Elections
2134 W. Laburnum Avenue
Richmond, VA 23227
2nd Floor – Training Center B (Voter Registration Side)

This meeting is open to the public.

Additional Information

Any authorized political party representative attending the provisional ballot meeting must present a physical copy of their appointment or authorization letter signed by their respective Party Chair.

Any voter who cast a provisional ballot and wishes to determine the status of their ballot or provide additional documentation for the Electoral Board's consideration may submit documentation by email to elections@rva.gov or deliver it in person to the City of Richmond Office of Elections before or during the meeting.

For additional information, please contact the Electoral Board at electoral.board@rva.gov.

Provisional Agenda

On Tuesday, November 10, the City of Richmond hosted a special Veterans Appreciation Coffee and Communication gathering. Participants connected and heard from Human Resources Director Trinija Martin, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Operations Al Wiggins, and Mayor Danny Avula. Director Martin and DCAO Wiggins' remarks as prepared can be found below. 

Trinija Martin, Director of Human Resources

Good morning, everyone, and happy Veterans Day! 

Before we begin today's celebration, I ask that you rise for the posting of the colors, presented by the Richmond Police Department honor guard.

It is truly an honor and a privilege to stand before you today, not only as the Director of Human Resources for the City of Richmond, but also as a proud veteran of the United States Army.

I have to tell you, there’s something special about being in a room filled with individuals who understand what it means to serve something greater than themselves.

Veterans Day is more than a date on the calendar. It is more than a federal holiday, a ceremony, or a moment of recognition.

It’s a reminder that the freedoms we enjoy every day have been protected by ordinary men and women who made extraordinary commitments. Men and women who raised their right hands and took an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States.

I know that commitment personally. As a United States Army veteran, I understand that military service is not simply something you do. It becomes part of who you are.

The army taught me discipline, resilience, accountability, courage, and the importance of teamwork. One of the greatest lessons it taught me was that leadership is not about rank or title. Leadership is about service, responsibility, and taking care of people.

Those lessons have followed me throughout my life and continue to shape how I lead today.

As we celebrate Veterans Day in the city of Richmond, I'm especially proud of the veterans who continue their commitment to service through careers in local government. You are living examples of what it means to carry the spirit of service beyond the military.

You have exchanged one form of public service for another, and our city and our communities are stronger because of it.

As we begin today's celebration, let us do so with gratitude in our hearts, pride in our nation, and renewed appreciation for the men and women who have worn the uniform.

From one veteran to another it is an honor to stand among you. Happy veteran's day and may God bless our veterans our military families the city of Richmond and the United States of America

It is now my distinct pleasure to introduce a leader who understands the importance of service, community, and our freedoms. Please join me in welcoming the Mayor of the City of Richmond, Dr. Danny Avula.

Al Wiggins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Operations

Thank you, Mayor Avula, Director Martin, and our Richmond Police Department Color Guard for helping make this morning special.

With everything going on in the world, we are reminded of the dedication of those who answer the call to serve, often far from home and family. Today, we thank our veterans and recognize the families whose support makes that service possible.

I deeply value my eight years in the United States Air Force. It taught me discipline, accountability, and how to work with people from different backgrounds toward a shared goal. Those lessons have helped me in every workplace since. I often say that if the Air Force were a nonprofit, I would send them a check every month. That is how much that experience means to me.

Our veterans bring those same strengths into our workplaces and communities every day. To each of you: thank you for your service and for everything you continue to contribute.

Let’s carry that spirit into how we support one another, share what we know, and help each other succeed. That is how we build a stronger team and better serve Richmond.

Please stay, enjoy the refreshments, thank a veteran, and connect with someone you don’t know. Thank you for being here and for all you do.

Richmond, VA — Mayor Danny Avula shared the following statements following City Council's Informal Meeting and City Council Meeting. 

Informal Meeting: A Framework for Fiscal Health Presentation   

"As I've shared before, we are entering a more constrained fiscal environment, and keeping our commitments to increased school construction funding and tax relief will require thoughtful planning, difficult decisions, and continued collaboration with City Council. We need to take on some short-term measures today to protect Richmond’s long-term financial health. That means carefully managing spending, identifying efficiencies, and making strategic adjustments while protecting core services and continuing to invest in the priorities that matter most to our residents. I’m confident that by working together and making responsible decisions now, we can navigate these challenges and continue building a thriving Richmond.” 

ORD. 2026-297   

"We share Council’s commitment to supporting RRS retirees from the impacts of inflation. That is why we recommended that Council continue the ordinance’s consideration and fully evaluate the proposal’s goals, fiscal implications, and potential impacts, and do the thoughtful planning it deserves. Council chose to move forward without that analysis, potentially committing the City to an additional $5.2 million in annual contributions and up to $20 million in total liability. Decisions with significant, long-term financial impacts deserve thoughtful discussion and a clear understanding of the trade-offs involved. We owe that level of diligence to our retirees, our taxpayers, and all Richmond residents."

ORD. 2026-302 

“This is good stuff! I’m pleased this measure was approved, and grateful to Councilmember Lynch and our partners on City Council for their collaboration. This will strengthen one of our affordable housing tools to keep more Richmonders in their homes. This is exactly the kind of work we promised to do, and I’m glad we will soon deliver on it.”

ORD. 2026-298  

“This is wonderful news! I'm grateful to Councilmember Robertson, Manchester residents, advocates, and all of the partners for their dedication to this effort. This project is a great example of what’s possible when the public and private sectors work toward a shared goal: creating new opportunities for walking and biking, improving connectivity, and building the kind of livability we want to see in Manchester. I cannot wait to see Richmonders enjoying this urban trail for years to come!"

Local governments and homeless service providers across the Greater Richmond region are coordinating winter shelter operations for the 2026–2027 season to help protect individuals experiencing homelessness during cold weather. The regional response includes seasonal overnight shelter, additional surge capacity, warming centers during extreme cold weather, and emergency response for unhoused and at-risk families with minor children.

The winter shelter response is supported through partnerships among the City of Richmond, Henrico County, Chesterfield County, Hanover County, Homeward, The Salvation Army, CARITAS, GRTC and other regional homeless service providers. New this season, CARITAS will operate the extreme winter weather warming centers funded by the City of Richmond, strengthening coordination across the regional homeless services network.

Winter Shelter Operations

The regional winter shelter response includes three components for single adults:

• Inclement Weather Shelter (IWS): Operated by The Salvation Army at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue. The shelter will operate November 15, 2026, through April 15, 2027, from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily, accommodating up to 106 single adults. Any single adult seeking walk-up shelter should report to Salvation Army first, regardless of Surge Shelter activation. Transportation to Surge Shelter will be available if IWS is at capacity.

• Surge Shelter: Operated by CARITAS, the Surge will accommodate up to 70 individuals and will operate December 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, from 5pm-8am when activated. Surge capacity may be activated when IWS occupancy reaches 85 percent and temperatures are 40°F or below for two consecutive hours.

• Overnight Extreme Winter Weather Warming Center: Operated by CARITAS, the warming center will activate when the IWS and Surge shelters have reached capacity and overnight temperatures are forecasted to reach 20°F or below for two or more consecutive hours, or when other life-safety hazards warrant activation. The warming center at Marshall Plaza will accommodate up to 60 individuals and operates from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Operating hours for all three shelter programs may be extended as needed based on weather conditions, community needs, and public safety considerations, including 24-hour operations when warranted.

Shelter Access for Families

Families at risk of sleeping outside in Richmond should visit the Community Resource and Training Center (CRTC) at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After 5 p.m. or on weekends or holidays, families should report to The Salvation Army at the same address, where staff will coordinate with the City of Richmond's Office of Homeless Services to assess needs and identify available resources, including temporary emergency placement.

Public Notifications and Transportation

Surge shelter and warming center activations, as well as extended operating hours for all shelter programs, will be announced through Richmond Ready Alerts and RVA311, including locations, operating hours, and access instructions.

To sign up for Richmond Ready Alerts follow this registration link. Once registered, select “Homeless Shelter Operations” as an alert subscription type you would like to receive.

The Salvation Army Inclement Weather Shelter is accessible by GRTC Route 1. Residents can visit ridegrtc.com for transportation information.

For additional information about winter shelter operations and available resources, visit the Office of Homeless Services webpage.