Richmond · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Richmond public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Affordable housing and infill development across six districts
The RKG market study shows most new units would be market-rate, developer-driven, and concentrated in affluent areas — with two-thirds at nodes and corridors and little market growth in parts of the Southside. Council members demanded deeper affordability tools and more data.
FY 2026-27 city budget adoption
Council adopted the full operating, capital, school and debt package, including $11.7 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, added DSS social workers and inspector general staff, after-school transportation funding, and a one-time 1% payment for retirees. Dozens of residents testified for two minutes each.
Zoning Code Rewrite (Code Refresh) Draft 3
Two proposals — a Code Refresh Review Commission and a Resident Planning Review Commission to advise on Master Plan implementation — were both continued to June 22.
E-911 emergency medical call routing
Since 2024, the city's own dispatch center has handled medical 911 calls, but nearly 29% of calls now miss required answer-time standards versus about 6% before. Council voted to route those calls back to the Richmond Ambulance Authority, with implementation flexibility.