Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee
Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall
Agenda — 85 items
- 1 Persons requesting to provide comments virtually during the public hearings or public comment period held at this meeting, must call the Office of the City Clerk at (804) 646-7955, option 3, by no later than 10:00 a.m., on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
- 1 Committee Members and Other Council Members in Attendance
- 2 Call to Order
- 2 The Honorable Nicole Jones – Chair The Honorable Ellen Robertson – Vice Chair The Honorable Stephanie Lynch – Councilmember (late arrival and early departure)
- 3 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement and Public Speaker Guidelines
- 3 Absent
- 4 Public Comment Period
- 4 The Honorable Andrew Breton – Member
- 5 Approval of Minutes
- 5 Staff and Others in Attendance
- 6 May 20, 2025 - Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee Meeting Minutes
- 6 Bonnie Ashley, Deputy City Attorney Nahdiyah Muhammad, Assistant City Clerk Candice Reid, City Clerk Steve Taylor, Council Policy Analyst
- 7 Presentation(s)
- 8 Housing and Displacement
- 8 Chair Nicole Jones called the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m., and presided.
- 9 June 17, 2025 - Housing and Displacement Presentation
- 10 Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC)
- 10 Upon the Chair’s request, Assistant City Clerk Nahdiyah Muhammad provided information on the appropriate way to evacuate the Council Chamber in an emergency along with public speaker guidelines.
- 11 June 17, 2025 - Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC)
- 12 page break
- 12 Thomas King addressed the committee regarding a proposed rental inspection program. Mr. King stated his concerns regarding the timeline of the proposed rental inspection program being introduced to Council. Mr. King also stated that no legislation had been introduced to Council despite the given timeline.
- 13 Paper(s) for Consideration
- 13 Omari Al-Qadaffi, Community Organizer for Legal Aid Justice Center, addressed the committee regarding Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority's (RRHA) partnership with Richmond Development Corporation (RDC). Mr. Al-Qadaffi stated that more resident inclusion was necessary for the redevelopment of Gilpin Court.
- 14 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES
- 14 Bennie Gates III addressed the committee regarding a proposed rental inspection program. Mr. Gates stated his experiences living in unsafe rental housing. Mr. Gates also stated his concerns for the delayed rental inspection program.
- 1. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a City of Richmond Grant Contract between the City of Richmond and the James River Association for the purpose of implementing green infrastructure practices to increase stormwater detention as part of the Greening Richmond Public Libraries project at the Ginter Park Branch.
- 15 Barbara Gates addressed the committee regarding the proposed rental inspection program. Ms. Gates stated that she had seen improvements regarding housing but emphasized more work was needed to ensure that residents have safe housing.
- 16 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
- 16 Arthur Burton addressed the committee regarding the RRHA partnership with RDC. Mr. Burton stated that the concerns within Gilpin Court cannot all be addressed by RDC, and he does not support the transfer of Gilpin Court to RDC.
- 2. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Programmatic Agreement between the City of Richmond and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the State Historic Preservation Office for the purpose of ensuring compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act in the performance of programs funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- 18 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
- 18 There were no amendments or corrections to the meeting minutes of May 20, 2025, and the committee approved the minutes as presented.
- 3. To support an application to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program for the purpose of funding the installation of a five-foot wide sidewalk westbound along German School Road from Glenway Drive to Blakemore Road and to commit to the required agreements of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program.
- 4. To support an application to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program for the purpose of funding the installation of five-foot wide sidewalk along Carnation Street from Hioaks Road to Warwick Road and to commit to the required agreements of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program.
- 5. To support an application to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program for the purpose of funding the installation of pedestrian crossing improvements along Forest Hill Avenue from Westover Hills Boulevard to Taylor Avenue and 48th Street and to commit to the required agreements of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program.
- 21 The following ordinance was considered:
- 6. To support an application to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program for the purpose of funding the installation of protected bike lanes on Franklin Street from Belvidere Street to Lombardy Street and to commit to the required agreements of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program.
- 23 page break
- 23 Jen Clark, Department of Public Utilities, Program and Operations Manager, provided an introduction and additional background information regarding the proposed ordinance.
- 24 Board Vacancies
- 24 There were no comments or discussions, and Vice Chair Ellen Robertson moved to forward ORD. 2025-125 to Council with the recommendation to approve, which was seconded and approved: Ayes 2, Robertson, Jones. Noes None.
- 25 There were no board vacancies.
- 25 The following ordinance was considered:
- 26 Discussion Item(s)
- 27 Use of Richmond Development Corporation in Efforts to Redevelop Gilpin Court
- 27 Kevin Vonck, Director of the Department of Planning and Development Review (PDR), provided an introduction and additional background information regarding the proposed ordinance.
- 28 There were no comments or discussions, and Vice Chair Ellen Robertson moved to forward ORD. 2025-126 to Council with the recommendation to approve, which was seconded and approved: Ayes 2, Robertson, Jones. Noes None.
- 28 June 17, 2025 - RRHA RDC Update
- 29 Staff Report
- 29 The following resolutions were considered:
- 30 June 17, 2025 - Land Use, Housing and Transportation Staff Report
- 32 M Khara, Department of Public Works Deputy Director and City Engineer, provided an introduction and additional background information regarding the proposed resolutions.
- 33 There were no comments or discussions, and Vice Chair Ellen Robertson moved to forward RES. 2025-R024, and RES. 2025-R025 to Council with the recommendation to approve, which was seconded and approved: Ayes 2, Robertson, Jones. Noes None.
- 34 The following resolution was considered:
- 36 M Khara, Department of Public Works Deputy Director and City Engineer, provided an introduction and additional background information regarding the proposed resolution.
- 37 There were no comments or discussions, and Vice Chair Ellen Robertson moved to forward RES. 2025-R026 to Council with the recommendation to approve, which was seconded and approved: Ayes 2, Robertson, Jones. Noes None.
- 38 page break
- 39 The following resolution was considered:
- 41 M Khara, Department of Public Works Deputy Director and City Engineer, provided an introduction and additional background information regarding the proposed resolution.
- 42 Public Hearing
- 43 Brantley Tyndall, Sports Backers Director of Bike Walk RVA, spoke in support of the proposed resolution and efforts to provide protected bike lanes.
- 44 There were no further comments or discussions, and Vice Chair Ellen Robertson moved to forward RES. 2025-R029 to Council with the recommendation to approve, which was seconded and approved: Ayes 2, Robertson, Jones. Noes None.
- 47 Steven Nesmith, Chief Executive Officer of Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA), discussed with the committee the use of Richmond Development Corporation (RDC) to redevelop Gilpin Court.
- 48 June 17, 2025 - RRHA RDC Update
- 49 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
- 50 Councilor Stephanie Lynch arrived at 3:39 p.m., and was seated.
- 51 The committee and Councilmembers requested the following regarding the redevelopment of Gilpin Court through the RDC: • Community outreach events schedule • RRHA Housing Tenant Council representation on the board of RDC • Public-private partnership development • Tenant protection vouchers (TPV) • Relocation strategies • Tenant bill of rights • Maintaining commissioner independence • A list of memebrs who serve on the RDC board • Current stage of signed agreements with RDC • Identification of a committed private developer • RRHA returning to the Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee to provide the committee with additional information.
- 52 CEO Nesmith responded that RRHA would consider resident representation on the RDC board to mirror the current board structure of the RRHA Board of Commissioners. CEO Nesmith stated that all actions taken by the RDC would need to be approved by RRHA. CEO Nesmith also stated that RRHA would provide Council with more information regarding community outreach events. CEO Nesmith provided the committee with additional information regarding TPVs.
- 53 Sherrill Hampton, RRHA Senior Vice President for Real Estate Development, provided the committee with additional information regarding resources, financing strategies and securing TPVs during the redevelopment of Gilpin Court.
- 54 Corey Franklin, RRHA Senior Vice President of Affordable Housing, stated that RRHA would implement strategies to account for the number of occupied units to determine the number of TPVs RRHA will need to request. Mr. Franklin also stated that residents would have the option to relocate and any unused TPVs will be used to pull from current waiting lists.
- 55 CEO Nesmith stated that tenants would have the right to relocate or return, and that the tenant bill of rights was included in the Creighton Court redevelopment contract. CEO Nesmith also stated that the bill of rights would be included in the Gilpin Court redevelopment.
- 56 CEO Nesmith stated that senior level RRHA members would serve on the RDC board. CEO Nesmith also stated a member of the RRHA Board of Commissioners would serve on the RDC board to maintain accountability and independence.
- 57 CEO Nesmith stated that RRHA had signed the master development agreement and was currently in the implementation stage. CEO Nesmith stated that RRHA could have been more proactive with community engagement and providing additional information to the residents of Gilpin Court. CEO Nesmith also stated that RRHA had committed to a private developer.
- 58 CEO Nesmith continued to discuss the use of RDC for the redevelopment of Gilpin Court with the committee.
- 61 Michelle Brown Peters, Deputy Director for Housing and Community Development, presented the committee with a housing and displacement presentation.
- 63 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
- 64 Councilor Stephanie Lynch asked about leveraging strategies for 40% and below Area median income (AMI).
- 65 Merrick Malone, Director of Department of Housing and Community Development, stated that Housing and Community Development (HCD) would provide Council with additional information regarding strategies other localities have implemented to leverage lower AMI properties.
- 67 Adrienne Torres, Chief Development Officer for GRTC, presented the committee with a GRTC presentation regarding North-South Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Western extension BRT, a permanent Downtown transfer station, a study regarding dedicated bus lanes, transit stop improvements and an advertising and franchise agreement.
- 69 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
- 70 Councilor Stephanie Lynch departed the meeting at 4:44 p.m.
- 74 Council staff provided the committee with the June Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee staff report.
- 76 A copy of the material provided has been filed.
- 77 Adjournment
- 78 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.