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Residents urge Norfolk leaders to fund Housing Trust Fund, eviction-prevention and invest in Ocean View infrastructure
Summary
Multiple residents and neighborhood leaders asked the City Council to allocate $3 million to the Housing Trust Fund and $1 million to eviction-prevention, and Ocean View civic leaders urged investment in crosswalks, sidewalks and storm drainage to support tourism and neighborhood safety.
Several residents and neighborhood civic leaders used the public-comment period at the Norfolk City Council meeting to press elected officials for more funding and local engagement on housing stability, eviction prevention, and Ocean View infrastructure.
Speakers representing neighborhood civic leagues, tenants and community organizers asked council to allocate $3,000,000 to the Norfolk Housing Trust Fund and $1,000,000 to the city—s eviction prevention program. They said the city faces an ongoing affordable-housing shortage, that the eviction-prevention portal has been offline since August, and that existing assistance capped at $5,000 per family is insufficient as rents rise.
Monet Johnson, an organizer who identified herself as a younger Norfolk resident, urged a $3,000,000 allocation to the Housing Trust Fund and said, “Allocating $3,000,000 to this fund will give us the tools to build housing that Norfolk needs and deserves.” She also called for $1,000,000 for eviction prevention, saying prevention is the most effective way to stop homelessness.
Elise McMath, who spoke later, described rising rents and a shrinking supply of affordable housing and told the council the eviction-prevention portal has been closed since August. She said the eviction assistance cap of $5,000 per family is no longer adequate and urged the council to increase local funding.
Multiple other speakers expressed similar concerns. Keenan Baskerville said Norfolk—s population decline is linked to unaffordable housing and redevelopment-driven displacement and recommended the same funding levels. Terry White, who described personal experience with homelessness, said the newly created Housing Trust Fund must be funded and urged the council to act.
Ocean View residents Linda Danziger and Bill Kapleski presented a joint civic-league paper asking the city to support measured tourism investment in Ocean View while improving safety and infrastructure. Danziger asked for crosswalks at every beach access point, sidewalks, mowing and beautification; Kapleski said East Ocean View needs storm drainage work, sidewalk maintenance, beach renourishment planning and a clearer approach to short-term-rental density and revenue sharing.
Other commenters described community programs and individual hardships. Carlos Tanner spoke about Shaped Up, a barbering program that provides training and mentoring to disadvantaged youth; a student from the program, Michael Ossibogan, described the personal benefits he received.
No formal council votes were taken on the funding requests during the public-comment period; speakers requested that the council consider the allocations as part of the budget process.
