Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination

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John Morrill
Director

Department Resources

Charge Up Fairfax

charge up logo vertical lockupCharge Up Fairfax is a program to help residents of community associations access charging for electric vehicles (EVs).   

Encouraging the use of EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles — which are better for the environment than conventional cars — is an important step toward achieving the county’s goal of community-wide carbon neutrality by 2050. Most EV owners prefer to charge at home and community associations that offer EV charging stations as an amenity are attractive to home buyers and renters. Charge Up Fairfax supports community associations in identifying and overcoming challenges, both technical and financial, to Level 2 EV charging for residents and their guests.

Applications will once again be accepted starting May 1, 2024.


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Charge Up Fairfax Resources

Learn more about community and environmental benefits, permitting and zoning guidance for community associations, choosing EV charging equipment, incentive programs, and much more!

Charge Up Fairfax Program Overview and Responsible Party

The timeline below outlines the process for community associations that apply and are selected to participate in the Charge Up Fairfax program.  Fairfax County is responsible for actions shown in green. The community association is responsible for actions in blue and the timeline for those actions is determined by the community.

graphic showing the timeline breakdown for charge up fairfax

Click the graphic above to enlarge. 

Charge Up Fairfax supports community associations with the installation of Level 2 EV charging stations for common area parking spaces that are accessible to residents and their guests.  The program works as follows:

Step 1: Community associations in Fairfax County that apply and are accepted into the Charge Up Fairfax program will receive a site visit and assessment from an engineering firm, paid for by the county.  The site visit and resulting memo will help community associations assess project feasibility and cost to support the installation of level 2 charging stations.  Additional information about Level 2 charging stations is available on OEEC’s Electric Vehicles webpage.

Step 2: If a community association decides to proceed with the purchase and installation of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), the community association will then hire one or more contractors to perform necessary site preparation.  Community associations will work with their contractor to choose the charging equipment and design, coordinate and implement any necessary electrical upgrades. The contractor may also arrange for permitting, equipment installation, and final inspection. 

Step 3: Following implementation, communities participating in the Charge Up Fairfax program can seek grant funds to partially reimburse the cost of EVSE installation.

New! Grant only-option: Communities that demonstrate a strong technical readiness and require only financial assistance may apply for grant-only participation in the program. See Grant-only section in the Charge Up Fairfax Reimbursement Grant Program below for more details.

Definitions and Acronyms:

Community Association Includes homeowners associations, condominium owners associations, clusters, and co-ops
EV Electric Vehicle
EVC Electric Vehicle Charging
EVCS Electric Vehicle Charging Station
EVSE Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment. EVSE is the hardware and software to supply electricity to EVs.  EVSE includes the EVCS, EV charge cords, attachment plugs, and protection. 

Site Assessment: Once a community association has applied to and been accepted into the Charge Up Fairfax program, the county’s contractor will conduct ancommunity Assocation staff meeting with fairfax county staff engineering assessment of the community’s selected site at the county’s expense.  At least one member of the community association’s board of directors or management company must attend the engineering site visit.  Communities should allow up to 3 hours for the site visit, though it is not likely to take that long.  

The engineering firm will prepare an engineering drawing and site assessment memo that describes:

  • Physical and environmental barriers
  • Power sources
  • Site conditions 
  • Estimated costs and project timeline 

The site assessment memo is intended to provide enough information to members of the community association to determine whether they want to hire a contractor and move forward with the installation of EVSE. 

The memo will be provided to the community association within two months of the site visit.  The Charge Up Fairfax Program Manager will schedule a meeting with members of the community association about the memo and answer any questions the community may have.

Permitting, Installation and Inspection:  If a community association decides to proceed with the purchase and installation of EVSE, they will then hire one or more contractors to perform necessary site preparation. Community associations will work with the contractor(s) they hire to coordinate and implement any necessary electrical upgrades, choose the charging equipment, set up an operating and maintenance plan with the charging device manufacturer, and arrange for permitting, equipment installation, and inspection.

The Charge Up Fairfax webpage includes information and links to inform members of the community association on next steps and decision points to discuss with their hired contractor.

Reimbursement Grant: Following installation and inspection, community associations participating in the Charge Up Fairfax program can seek grant funds to partially reimburse the cost of EVSE installation by completing and submitting the Request for Reimbursement form along with the necessary attachments.  
In some cases, if the community has demonstrated a strong technical understanding of their project, they may participate in only the grant-only portion of the Charge Up Fairfax program.

All community associations that are selected to participate in the Charge Up Fairfax program are eligible to apply for a grant to cover one-third of eligible expenses for the installation of EVSE, up to $5,000. Communities in Fairfax County that are classified as having high or very high vulnerability in the Fairfax County Vulnerability Index, or that are classified as disadvantaged in the Federal Government’s Justice40 Initiative, are eligible for up to $10,000 of grant funds. 

Grants will be awarded on a reimbursable basis to communities in the Charge Up Fairfax program, after the EVSE is installed and operational.  If grant funds are desired, applicants must contact OEEC to submit a request for grant funds and provide documentary evidence of eligible expenditures before grant funding will be disbursed.  OEEC staff will verify the EVSE is complete and operational.  The request for grant funds must be made within one calendar year of acceptance into Charge Up Fairfax.

Grant-only option:

Community associations that demonstrate a strong understanding of the technical aspects of their proposed project and are ready to move forward, but require financial support, may qualify to participate in only the grant reimbursement portion of the Charge Up Fairfax Program.  Communities that participate in the grant-only track will not receive a site visit, feasibility memo, or other technical support.

Community associations will indicate at the time of application whether they would like to pursue the grant-only track.  Participation in the grant-only track is at the discretion of county staff.

Communities that are approved for grant-only participation of Charge Up Fairfax are eligible for funds to cover one-third of eligible expenses for the installation of EVSE, up to $7,000.

Communities approved for the grant-only track that are classified as having high or very high vulnerability in the Fairfax County Vulnerability Index, or that are classified as disadvantaged in the Federal Government’s Justice40 Initiative, are eligible for up to $12,000 of grant funds. 
 
Eligible expenses under Charge Up Fairfax Grant Program:

  • Engineering design
  • EV charging equipment
  • Electrical work necessary to power or install the charging station(s) 
  • Installation costs including trenching and building penetration repair (if any)

Expenses not eligible under Charge Up Fairfax Grant Program:

  • Equipment purchased and upgrades made to prepare the community to be EV-ready, such as solar canopies, the creation of new parking spaces, or adding a sidewalk (excludes necessary electrical work)
  • Fees incurred by attorneys, consultants, or management companies 
  • Changes in insurance premium or any charges from insurance companies
  • Operation and maintenance expenses

Grants will be made on a reimbursable basis to communities in the Charge Up Fairfax program who complete EVSE installation. Community associations in Fairfax County that are classified as having high or very high vulnerability in the Fairfax County Vulnerability Index, or that are classified as disadvantaged in the Federal Government’s Justice40 Initiative, are eligible for up to $10,000 paid on reimbursable basis.

Communities in Fairfax County approved for the grant-only option that are classified as having high or very high vulnerability in the Fairfax County Vulnerability Index, or that are classified as disadvantaged in the Federal Government’s Justice40 Initiative, are eligible for up to $12,000 of grant funds paid on a reimbursable basis.

OEEC will use GIS data to confirm whether the community association is in an area shown in the Fairfax County Vulnerability Index, or the Federal Government’s Justice40 Initiative as described above and as shown on the map below. 

equity considerations

Beginning in 2023, OEEC worked with 10 pilot program participants to make sure Charge Up Fairfax is designed to best meet the needs of the diverse community associations throughout the county.  Participating Charge Up Fairfax pilot communities have provided input to help refine the program. Program evaluation will be ongoing for up to one year following grant reimbursement.

As pilot program participants move forward with the installation of their EV charging stations, case studies will be published to share their experiences with the community.

Pilot Communities: 

  • Colonies at McLean
  • Harpers Square Cluster Association
  • Hidden Creek Homeowners Association
  • Inlet Cluster Association
  • Nantucket at Reston
  • Penderbrook Community Association
  • Strathmeade Square Community
  • Villa Ridge Condominium Association
  • Washington Plaza Cluster Association
  • Waterford Square Condominium Unit Owners Association

How To Get Started:

how to get started graphic with following steps

 

One of the first steps toward the installation of EVSE in your community association is understanding the current and future demand by considering questions such as:

  • How many residents already own or lease an EV?  
  • How many are interested in doing so in the future?  
  • Is there widespread support for the installation of EVSE among the association?
  • Is there community opposition to the idea of EVSE in the association? 


This information will help determine if and how many EV charging spaces may be desired. 

If your community association has not already surveyed residents, we offer a sample survey.  Associations may edit or add to this survey, so it best meets the need of your community, but our sample survey aims to capture essential points.

The board of directors or management company should distribute and collect survey results from residents. Surveying residents will also help with your Charge Up Fairfax application.  Keep in mind that the Charge Up Fairfax program supports the installation of Level 2 charging.


Download the Sample Survey

Siting of EVSE depends on a number of factors that are specific to each community association, including: proximity to the power supply, parking availability and parking space size, lighting, and accessibility.  

A 2012 report on Siting and Design Guidelines for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment is available for reference. 

The Reston Association developed design guidelines for use by Reston Association Clusters, and they have made the document available as a resource for all communities.  

For the Charge Up Fairfax program:

  • The electricity source must be from an account paid by the community association. The most suitable areas for EVSE are those not far from a source of electricity (such as an electric utility transformer or a common use building).
  • Charging stations must be located in unreserved parking spaces owned by the community association that are available to residents and their guests. The community association will set the prices for residents and their guests.

Community associations should review their bylaws to ensure they do not restrict or limit the installation of electric vehicle charging stations.  Additionally, communities may wish to discuss EV charging plans with their insurance company to understand how EVSE may impact the policy and whether any changes to the policy or coverage may need to be made.

The board of directors should consider how to fund community EVSE, including whether to utilize operating funds, a reserve allocation, a special assessment, or other means. The board of directors should talk with residents about their plans for funding community EV charging stations.

In addition to the cost of construction, equipment, and electricity, community associations should plan to budget for the operation and maintenance of the EVCS.

The recurring charges may vary considerably depending on the business model of the EVC company and the operating agreement the community enters with the manufacturer. 

Watch, Listen and Learn More:
Still Have Questions?

For any questions on the Charge Up Fairfax materials, please contact Charge Up Fairfax Program Manager, Gina Weil, over email at Regina.Weil@fairfaxcounty.gov or by phone at (703) 324-5955.

The resources and websites referenced on this webpage are intended to serve as examples and points of reference only and are not intended to imply any specific endorsement by Fairfax County or the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination.

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