Richmond · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Richmond public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Lombardy Street CSX bridge replacement
The city would acquire temporary construction, retaining wall and utility easements — by gift, purchase, or condemnation if needed — for the Lombardy Street CSX Bridge Replacement project.
Service delivery issue referrals
This is the council's standing chance to push resident complaints about city services directly to the administration. If your trash didn't get picked up or your street needs repair, your council member can flag it here and get the ball rolling.
Committee Rules of Procedure
The committee scheduled a discussion of its own Rules of Procedure — the ground rules for how it conducts business. Changes here can shape how openly and efficiently the committee operates.
Historic district property improvements requiring certificates of appropriateness
Consultants project roughly 30–40 demolitions a year in multifamily districts under the new code, mostly in the central city and West End. All existing historic districts carry over, and two new lighter protections — design overlays and demolition-review districts — are proposed. The Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan heads to Council first.
Fire Fleet Replacement and Facilities
The city wants to spend $480,000 replacing its live-fire training burn building, which firefighters use to practice safely. The commission recommended the funding move forward.
Economic development strategy and corridor revitalization
The economic development director laid out the Broad Street corridor playbook — from pop-up activation to Coliseum demolition and a downtown residential strategy. Council members pushed for a durable, citywide strategic plan that survives election cycles instead of restarting every few years.
Employee homebuyer program expansion
The city's employee homebuyer assistance program currently leaves out people who bought deed-restricted or community land trust homes — they can feel stuck in their first house. This expansion creates a new eligibility category so they can buy their first market-rate home.
Green stormwater infrastructure at Belmont and Hull Street libraries
A grant contract with the James River Association would add green infrastructure to increase stormwater detention at two Richmond library branches.
Public park and green space at 311 Bainbridge Street
A lease with Sampson Paints, LLC would let the city build a new public park and green space in the 6th District.
Daycare Zoning Approval
Parents looking for round-the-clock childcare might catch a break, as a proposed 24-hour YMCA daycare near the airport heads to the Henrico planning commission. If approved, it'll make life a lot easier for folks working odd hours who struggle to find reliable care.
Shockoe weekend street pedestrianization (bollards)
Big transportation upgrades are planned for Oliver Hill Way, 18th, Venable, Mosby, and Leigh Streets in Shockoe Valley. The design goes to the Urban Design Committee and Public Art Commission before returning for a decision.
Ballpark Lease
Richmond's economic development agency is shaking up the sports district by offering Virginia Commonwealth University a new lease while telling the Flying Squirrels they need to pack up and leave the Diamond. It's a major land shuffle that could completely change how our city's prime real estate is used.
Public Safety and City Updates
Richmond is seeing a decade-low drop in murders, while new Mayor Danny Avula steps up to handle the controversial Flock camera rollout. Meanwhile, locals are dealing with a school strike and celebrating VCU baseball's comeback.
1% Sales Tax for School Infrastructure
If approved by voters in November, the 1% sales tax would fund continued investment in Richmond Public Schools infrastructure, on top of record city budget commitments to RPS.
Pedestrian accessibility for disabled residents
Advocates from a 'March for Safer Streets' and VCU students urged more funding for sidewalks, noting 13 pedestrian deaths last year and a 2,000-request repair backlog since 2017. Budget officials pointed to dedicated transportation funding and traffic calming projects.
City contractor wages to $20/hour
The mayor wants city contractors paid at least $20 an hour — the city got to $18 for janitorial contractors last year — and a joint economic mobility squad is developing cost estimates to get there.
Youth basketball and summer camp program
The committee recommended letting NextUp RVA handle the city funding for the Parks Department's 2026 CarMax Basketball Youth Development and Summer Camp program as its fiscal agent.
Homeless Services Strategic Plan
The city's Office of Homeless Services presented its strategic plan for addressing homelessness — setting the direction for how Richmond will handle shelter, housing, and services going forward.
$1 million federal Safe Streets grant for Richmond
The city will accept $1 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for its Safe Streets and Roads for All program.
Public green space acquisitions from Capital Region Land Conservancy
The city is acquiring more than a dozen parcels — including land along Bermuda Road, Warwick Road, and 510 South 14th Street — to expand and preserve public green space.
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.