Richmond’s interim chief administrative officer is stepping down five months after being approved, as Sabrina Joy-Hogg announced her resignation Wednesday afternoon, effective Friday, June 6.

“As I prepare to close this chapter, I do so with immense pride in what we’ve achieved together,” Joy-Hogg said in a news release announcing her decision. “From raising the city’s minimum wage and successfully transitioning to the Virginia Retirement System, to creating a $10 million capital improvement fund, and developing a bond strategy to expand affordable housing, we’ve made lasting improvements.”

Joy-Hogg has been a City official since 2022, following government work in Hampton, Norfolk and Charlotte, N.C.. On Jan. 5, she was approved by City Council unanimously to succeed CAO Lincoln Saunders, whom she worked with as deputy CAO before his resignation in December.

The announcement followed months of challenges for City Hall, as Joy-Hogg and Mayor Danny Avula’s administration dealt with the impact and aftermath of a water crisis that left the city and surrounding counties without water for days. Joy-Hogg also was a key voice for the administration during prolonged discussions and the development of the 2026 fiscal budget, where questions were raised about the City’s priorities and the process itself.

More recently, about 33,000 real estate tax bills meant for mortgage lenders were sent to Richmond residents instead. Joy-Hogg told City Council members this was an intentional choice, according to reports, only to be contradicted by Avula a day later in a statement calling the mailings an error.

Joy-Hogg acknowledged the bills had been sent to the wrong recipients when reporters followed up afterward.

“Sabrina’s dedication to achieving a balanced budget and her institutional knowledge was a tremendous help in the early months of my administration,” Avula said in the release. “I’m thankful for her dedication over these past five months and wish her continued success in her new role.”

According to the news release, an interim CAO and interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Finance and Administration will be selected in the weeks ahead, while a permanent CAO will be announced soon following a nearly complete national search.