During the public-comment period at the Oct. 14 Richmond City Council meeting, a string of residents, advocates and union representatives pressed the council to prioritize tenant protections, enforcement and expanded shelter and housing services.

Cindy Bell, who identified herself as a career educator and former Richmond resident, described a personal eviction she called unlawful and said her landlord ignored habitability complaints. Bell cited a city and state legal standard in her remarks and told council she had referenced the Virginia codes landlord-tenant provisions when raising the issue with the landlord. "Tenant rights are not optional," she said, and asked that the council place housing enforcement, tenant protections and the homeless crisis on a public agenda.

Speakers representing SEIU 32BJ and janitorial workers said they oppose proposed property-tax cuts that they argued would reduce the city's ability to fund wages, eviction-prevention programs and services for people experiencing homelessness. Latrice Gregory, speaking for SEIU 32BJ, described low wages and health-care and housing pressures on service workers and said the union "strongly oppose[d] property tax cuts" that would reduce municipal program funding.

Others described street-level problems and neighborhood maintenance issues: Charles Pierce reported persistent problems in an alley on West Broad Rock Road, noting vegetation, rodents and safety concerns. Blair Snowcave and another speaker reported persistent leaks and infrastructure problems in alleys that they said had been repeatedly reported to city departments without response.

Several residents called for bold approaches to increase homeownership and affordable housing supply. Ross Crawford proposed that the city explore developing publicly owned condominiums sold at cost to first-time buyers or income-qualified households; the idea was presented as a suggestion the council could explore, not a formal proposal.

Speakers also raised immigrant-rights and public-safety concerns. Josue Castillo of New Virginia Majority urged the council to consider local trust policies to limit voluntary cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and to pursue other local protections.

Council members thanked those who spoke and said the issues had been duly noted; the clerk announced there would be follow-up. Several speakers specifically asked the council to put tenant protections and homeless-response items on the public agenda for future consideration.

Documentation and authorities cited

- Cindy Bell referenced the Virginia code provision she cited during her remarks; she identified the statutory provision by section number in the public comment record.

What council said it would do: Council members and staff acknowledged the concerns and said there would be follow-up and further discussion; no formal action or ordinance resulted directly from the public-comment segment at this meeting.