Richmond officials announced Monday that they’re pausing applications for a relief fund meant to help residents that took a financial hit from the water crisis early last month after more than 2,200 applications were received in a little more than three days.

The application process went live on Friday morning. In a news release late Monday morning, the city said all the money in the fund is now “fully committed to Richmonders in need.”

The fund — a pre-existing pot of money called the Family Crisis Fund — was expected to contain about $650,000 in city money, another $25,000 from Mayor Danny Avula’s PAC and an unknown quantity of money from private donors.

The rapid commitment of the money suggests many Richmonders felt they were eligible for the $2,500 in relief funds that would go toward the payment of outstanding bills for essentials like housing, child care and medical expenses. The fact that the application window lasted only a few days could also mean the demand for relief could exceed the supply of funding.

The fund is still accepting donations, and Avula has indicated the city could provide more money if there was a need for it.

“The water crisis is not the only challenge we’ll face in the coming years, and Richmonders deserve a robust and resilient Family Crisis Fund to help us meet those future challenges together,” Avula said in Monday’s release. “And so, my team and I are currently exploring all options to expand financial support for this critical program.” 

City officials said they and their nonprofit partners assisting with the fund are working to “verify applicant eligibility and review all current applications.”

“At this time, it is anticipated that applicants will be contacted in approximately 10-15 business days,” the city release said.