[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6554781,"mediaKeyId","5019110-6eb9cf3b23bbd22ca5e5ebcd68c54c52","parentId",5019110,"title","RHA defends use of nonprofit arm, seeks tenant-protection vouchers and promises more resident engagement on Gilpin Court redevelopment","audioSeconds",274,"startMs",4211000,"endMs",4485000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5019110-6eb9cf3b23bbd22ca5e5ebcd68c54c52&start=4211&end=4485","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5019110-6eb9cf3b23bbd22ca5e5ebcd68c54c52/thumbnail_4211000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6554781/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/RHA-defends-use-of-nonprofit-arm-seeks-tenant-protection-vouchers-and-promises-more-resident-engagement-on-Gilpin-Court-redevelopment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554781-ad590c7d457c4337bcbf4786b49c3a8a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770724405&Signature=flmFiq1zrS08TlBB9WybiS9s4pyearB-cVUTIM1KBBRNWxNbOWzTo3egIfLgTHlSehgGjPWSPutAj75~MGiTmuh-ueMN~TdUGQI0d2nSvW4peOKswpEy6rnivh0ldfaaJ1R5rnYpKxdcsDAfPWq1VC4BzvMFfHg2OXsRzrooqR0POkSLbDB3-24epMNseW8A1djN6bfYiZlqrTW43B1S-lO-bsLbu~CqDm1TSYhbFLTrDnCFyNWiFnOs3ORn9oLp24YcVy8VAdfCNcNxymyo285LioWI-qlBuIUtCWIMXTV2QfMKDM-X8azQKw66-QQjG5xmBVrYm9g33TBMa31XzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richmond City","date","2025-06-17T00:00:00Z","article","Steve Nesmith, chief executive officer of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, told the Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee that RHA intends to use its nonprofit redevelopment arm, the Richmond Development Corporation (RDC), to raise financing to redevelop Gilpin Court in multiple phases and to seek tenant protection vouchers for residents during relocation.

“We want to leverage RHA's 501(c)(3) nonprofit called the Richmond Redevelopment Corporation, which is the redevelopment arm of RHA,” Nesmith said, adding that the RDC “is wholly owned by RHA and thereby has accountability and oversight by RHA board of commissioners.” He defended the structure as a financing tool used by housing authorities nationally and said the phased transfers would be by ground lease so RHA would “continue to own the land.”

Nesmith characterized the redevelopment as necessary because traditional federal funding for public housing has been reduced, and he said RHA has embedded a tenant bill of rights in redevelopment agreements that guarantees current residents an opportunity to return if they wish. He described the redevelopment as phased (he said there are 10 phases) and disputed media characterizations that the RDC would privatize assets: “This is not privatization,” he said. He said the master development agreement with a private developer has been signed and that RHA will be a minority owner in the development (Nesmith said RHA would hold a 40% ownership stake).

Residents and advocates spoke during public comment before the presentation. Thomas King, representing several housing organizations, said advocates expected a rental-inspection ordinance before mid-May and asked who was “holding this up.” Omar El Gaddafi of the Legal Aid Justice Center, speaking for Gilpin residents, urged more public accountability and resident inclusion in redevelopment planning. Arthur Burton, a Jackson Ward resident and nonprofit director, urged a broader coalition of partners and faster action to improve living conditions for Gilpin residents.

Council members pressed RHA staff for operational details. Cheryl Hampton, senior vice president for real estate development at RHA, said HUD requires a relocation strategy and described typical relocation supports RHA provides, including needs assessments, assistance with applications, moving costs and options for how assistance is paid. Corey Franklin, senior vice president of affordable housing at RHA, said RHA would calculate tenant protection vouchers using a two-year look-back of occupied units and described how unused tenant protection vouchers could be converted into other voucher assistance.

Council members asked RHA to provide several documents and follow-ups: the tenant bill of rights, the relocation strategy plan, the list of RDC board members, details on phase-by-phase unit mixes (public housing, affordable and market-rate), proposed timelines and estimates of voucher counts, and confirmed dates for three community engagement meetings RHA said it would hold. Nesmith and staff agreed to supply those documents and said they expected to confirm meeting dates shortly.

No committee vote on policy or approvals for the Gilpin plan was recorded; the item was a presentation and Q&A. Council members asked RHA to return with more detailed information — several requested a fuller briefing at the committee’s July meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richmond City - Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee on 2025-06-17 3:00 PM - To access the meeting via Microsoft Teams, please use the following link: https://go.rva.gov/LUHT-JUNE17 or dial *67-804-316-9457 and enter ID: 295 265 39# . - Jun 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority Chief Executive Steve Nesmith told the City’s Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee that RHA will use its nonprofit Richmond Development Corporation to raise funding for a phased redevelopment of Gilpin Court, will continue to hold title to the land, and is seeking tenant protection vouchers to aid residents during relocation.","taxTitle","Richmond City (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",5755,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6554785,"Committee forwards library green-infrastructure grant, historic-preservation agreement and four VDOT funding requests to full council",349,1420000,1769000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5019110-6eb9cf3b23bbd22ca5e5ebcd68c54c52&start=1420&end=1769","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5019110-6eb9cf3b23bbd22ca5e5ebcd68c54c52/thumbnail_1420000.jpg","/articles/6554785/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Committee-forwards-library-green-infrastructure-grant-historic-preservation-agreement-and-four-VDOT-funding-requests-to-full-council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554785-886320fbc58ebd77a28d32b53d3705ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770724405&Signature=AWwVGap7b1SpgC4H94tz2IrEphD9ZbovLQqkJ1uYuBbIGakwOt93NH79ImttNLXFp0rsTzi-hINhEsKo7GvE4qeq8yh5aGgyD9dsDouU2L3I22ioo-dajHe30X-jBO9j7sz~hRp0KuF3mXoIxT2hiuuNMJjFSxxtYCah2pd8JgymmH30nU1XNXvVLEJusW1bmaNJ0Ual5LhS2qRF8Q2TppO91CjWfn7FEjo9PgPzKS8f98eMGiKedi9ZHZgi3W1oZFj4zo09lr1I6cBblNj4ZUrTB5gngKDsI6sZt7uBqYBT65dSzvobINETD~RNCFrH2HiQiqj7LrTzhYPqKQblPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee forwarded six items to City Council on a recommendation to approve: an ordinance to execute a city grant with the James River Association for green infrastructure at the Ginter Park library branch, a programmatic agreement with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources to conduct Section 106 reviews, and four resolutions supporting applications to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Transportation Alternatives (TA) program for sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and protected bike lanes.

The items were introduced to the committee and presented by staff. Jen Clark of the Department of Public Utilities said the James River Association would receive $154,917 to install stormwater green-infrastructure practices at the Ginter Park branch as part of the Greening Richmond Public Libraries initiative. Clark described project features such as permeable pavers and bioretention basins intended to “slow and filter stormwater runoff, mitigate floodwater flooding concerns, and also improve water quality.”

Kevin J. Vaughn, director of planning and development review, described the programmatic agreement with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources as a renewal of a longstanding arrangement that lets the city act as a designated agent to perform certain Section 106 reviews under 36 C.F.R. Part 800, shortening review time for many federally funded projects.

M. Kara of the Department of Public Works presented four Transportation Alternatives applications the city plans to submit: a roughly $1.4 million project for a 5-foot sidewalk on westbound German School Road (requesting $1,000,000 federal funds with a 20% city match and an additional city contribution to improve competitiveness); a 0.5-mile sidewalk project on Carnation Street that continues prior corridor work; pedestrian crossing improvements on Forest Hill Avenue estimated at $1.4 million; and protected bike lanes on Franklin Street estimated at $2.0 million (a proposed concrete barrier separating cycle track from parking). Kara said the TA program requires a city resolution of support at application and that, if awarded, the local match would be included in the CIP at the time of award. The TA pre-application deadline referenced in the discussion was May 30; the final application deadline is September 15, and funding would be available July 1, 2026 (FY27) if awarded.

No members of the public spoke in opposition to these items during the committee’s public hearings. Each item was moved, seconded and voted to be forwarded to full Council with a recommendation to approve. The committee vote record for the motions shown in the record is: Vice Chair Robertson — Aye; Chair Jones — Aye. The committee recorded each motion as approved.

Next steps for those items are submission of TA final applications by the September deadline and incorporation of any required local match into the City’s CIP process if awards are made. The programmatic agreement with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, if adopted by Council, would continue the city’s role as an agent for Section 106 reviews for HUD-funded projects.","The Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee voted to forward an agreement and five resolutions — including a $154,917 grant for Ginter Park library stormwater work and four VDOT Transportation Alternatives applications for sidewalks and bike lanes — to City Council with recommendations to approve.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6554776,"Tenant groups urge council to publish rental-inspection ordinance after promised mid-May delivery missed",67,654000,721000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5019110-6eb9cf3b23bbd22ca5e5ebcd68c54c52&start=654&end=721","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5019110-6eb9cf3b23bbd22ca5e5ebcd68c54c52/thumbnail_654000.jpg","/articles/6554776/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Tenant-groups-urge-council-to-publish-rental-inspection-ordinance-after-promised-mid-May-delivery-missed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554776-8734ee9b1480e85c2f5185d6489d5c57/orig.mp4?Expires=1770724405&Signature=SSV7MzeJXAgbE45vXv0vlNvBgHi24GoHMaqXgSndDdmroSV~f0iZ9HGrXTrjbGnUOOO0WIVHyk1XLvwKntCgDbb7bF-bzFT0YhOsiiXW60nBFojpx20oDRbYRVelOZeqWsDdh-IJZII7oz5IPna4l8mn1A7aqAuZA551AccbWlYypxGgtN~jE-x3wpgTQnmQs6G9PUjC9PpDb-ZaIsx-aIAo48Ji1SkJhvrLtqPNz-Y5DbJG85DPfkmcCO6mh5nlvqgKVi2JKwSsS7bBUosyCjdK1uYGXIhZ5YORCpaWpGvuazs44B287aPeGx6e~bXVd~z8wnd9FRTKunvuXBAhuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public-comment period, speakers representing tenant-advocacy organizations told the Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee that a rental-inspection ordinance the administration had said would be presented to council by mid-May had not been entered into the record by mid-June.

“Hi. My name is Thomas King. The 4 of us represent various different housing organizations that have been advocating for the city to pass the rental inspection ordinance ... We are here because both the mayor at the seventh District City Council meeting and the planning director promised that this ordinance would be before this body by mid May. It's now mid June,” Thomas King said, identifying himself as representing multiple tenant groups including Richmond Tenants Union, Virginia Organizing, New Virginia Majority and Richmond DSA.

King told the committee he believes the ordinance “has not been entered into the record at council” and estimated that, by his count, the delay could push consideration until July and the summer recess. Benny Gates, who said he represents Virginia Organizing and described himself as a native Richmonder, urged the city to act: “Housing is a priority ... We are in a crisis with housing, and I understand that. But the things that we can do about housing, we need to do it.”

Speakers asked the committee and staff to identify who was delaying publication of the ordinance so that advocates could meet with that office. The committee did not take action on the topic during this meeting; the public-comment items were recorded and closed before the consent and agenda matters.","Representatives of Richmond Tenants Union, Virginia Organizing, New Virginia Majority and Richmond DSA pressed the committee during public comment for the rental-inspection ordinance the administration had promised would be before council by mid-May; speakers said the ordinance still had not been entered into the council record by mid-June.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

RHA defends use of nonprofit arm, seeks tenant-protection vouchers and promises more resident engagement on Gilpin Court redevelopment

Committee forwards library green-infrastructure grant, historic-preservation agreement and four VDOT funding requests to full council

Tenant groups urge council to publish rental-inspection ordinance after promised mid-May delivery missed