Richmond · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Richmond public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
2027 State Legislative Agenda: Housing Powers and Tenant Protections
The city is asking Richmond's state legislators for more tools to fight displacement, protect renters, regulate short-term rentals and deal with vacant property. Key asks include the long-term owner occupancy program (which needs a constitutional amendment) and powers to crackdown on predatory lenders and 'rent-a-banks.'
Church Hill and Meadow Street special-use proposals
The commission recommended approving a 12-child day nursery on 4th Avenue and two new houses on North 36th Street, though three neighbors spoke against the Church Hill project.
Commercial creep into the R-2 residential block at 5900-5902 Grove Avenue
Two lifelong Richmonders want to run an interior design studio and Montessori-style tutoring out of an existing house and adjacent garden lot near the Westhampton node. Supporters call it a perfect quiet fit; opponents with a 30-household petition warn it blurs the line between the residential neighborhood and the commercial district.