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Residents raise displacement concerns as Norfolk sells multiple Reservoir Avenue parcels
Summary
At public hearings, council authorized sales of several auctioned parcels including 1311 and 1313 Reservoir Avenue. A longtime neighborhood resident warned council members about rising property values and potential displacement of long-term residents.
The Norfolk City Council on March 1 authorized the sale of multiple parcels from the city's online real estate auction, including 1311 and 1313 Reservoir Avenue, while some residents urged the council to consider displacement risks for long-time neighborhood households.
Monet Johnson spoke during Public Hearing 3 about 1311 Reservoir Avenue and described personal connections to the neighborhood. "I'm watching the neighborhood change vastly," Johnson said. She said her grandmother still lives on Reservoir Avenue and expressed concern about rising property taxes and repairs such as streetlights that she said are slow to come.
"It means a lot to me. I don't want it to change so much that it's unrecognizable because the people who are from there and stay there can't afford to do so anymore," Johnson said (public comment record).
Council approved the ordinance to sell 1311 Reservoir Avenue to Roland Investments LLC and 1313 Reservoir Avenue to Around Town LLC and authorized modification or release of certain protective and restrictive covenants associated with those parcels. The council also approved the sale of 2334 Burrard Avenue to Kaye Contractors Inc.; two other auction items (including 1530 Dungey Street and 851 Johnson Avenue) were continued generally.
Why it matters
Public hearings on property conveyances allow residents to raise neighborhood impacts before a sale is finalized. Monet Johnson's comments highlight common community concerns tied to auctioned land: rising property values, possible tax pressure on long-term residents, and the visible effects of new development.
What the council did and next steps
- The council adopted ordinances authorizing conveyances of 1311 Reservoir Avenue to Roland Investments LLC and 1313 Reservoir Avenue to Around Town LLC and authorized modifications or releases of associated covenants where appropriate.
- The sales will proceed to deed execution and any covenant modifications as permitted by the approved ordinances; real estate staff will handle closing steps.
- Two auctioned parcels were continued generally for additional consideration.
Residents seeking mitigation or additional neighborhood protections should monitor Real Estate Division follow-up materials and council staff reports for any community-benefit provisions or covenant language changes tied to the sales.
