Committee forwards $2 million transfer from delinquent tax fund to Affordable Housing Trust Fund

The Richmond City Council Standing Finance and Economic Development Committee voted unanimously to forward to full council Ordinance 2025-225, which would transfer $2,000,000 from the Delinquent Tax Sale Special Fund to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Megan Brown, director of budget and strategic planning, told the committee the transfer implements an administration commitment following restitution payments related to a named matter. "This is simply just, again, transferring 2,000,000 from the delinquent tax sale account to the affordable housing trust fund per the agreement of or the commitment of the administration after the restitution payment for Mr. Crim," Brown said.

Committee members pressed for additional detail on the delinquent tax sale account. A council member noted the account showed roughly $9,100,000 in revenue prior to recent actions and asked how much would remain after the transfer and when the delinquent tax sale program would restart. Brown said the administration intended to restart the program but did not have timing details and agreed to provide a detailed report on revenues and expenditures in the account.

After a public hearing with no speakers, the committee voted to add an additional patron to the paper and to forward the ordinance to full council with a recommendation to approve. Miss Lynch, Vice Chair Jones and Chair Robertson each recorded "aye" on the forwarding motion.

The committee requested that the administration return a more detailed accounting of the delinquent tax sale special fund, including revenue, expenditures and plans for restarting the tax-sale program, before final council action.