Council delays North Lombardi housing ordinance as developers race for state tax-credit deadline; administration to draft new tax-sale and roll-off ordinances

Richmond City Council on Wednesday continued Ordinance 2025‑173 (North Lombardi) to the Sept. 22 meeting so the district councilmember and the developer can hold additional community discussions and, staff said, to allow time to meet a forthcoming state low‑income housing tax-credit application deadline.

Madam Clerk announced on the record that Item 21, Ordinance 2025‑173 (North Lombardi), would be continued to the Sept. 22 council meeting. Councilmember Robertson told colleagues that the developer is working to secure financing through the state low‑income housing tax-credit program and that the application deadline for the state program is a tight mid‑October window (Council members referenced Oct. 12–14). Robertson said the project has been in process for close to a year and she did not want to risk losing the development opportunity.

Robertson summarized the problem this way: "The application has to be submitted with the approval... I think it's October 12 or [14]... and it's just a tight window." She said she asked the developer to reach out and that she expected additional conversations with the project team.

Councilmember Gibson said she could be amenable to continuing the item to Sept. 22 if the conversation with constituents could be completed promptly and if the item would not be repeatedly continued.

Later in the meeting council members and staff discussed a related set of ordinances and funding questions tied to affordable housing. Councilmember Robertson and others said the administration will draft two new ordinances and withdraw the current ordinances once the new ones are ready. According to statements on the record, one of the new ordinances will address the process for reinstating delinquent tax‑sale procedures and protections for owners who are making good‑faith efforts to pay amid rising assessments; the other will designate roll‑off (a locally cited projected revenue stream prepared by the Davenport fiscal agent) as a dedicated source of revenue for affordable housing and add administrative detail for the program.

RJ Warren and other council members described a letter from the administration that had been circulated to council on Friday outlining the plan to draft replacement ordinances. The council discussed the need to balance preventing involuntary sales of properties from residents who are actively trying to pay with creating a stable, dedicated revenue source for affordable housing.

Councilmember Trammell requested additional information on how much has been invested in the affordable housing trust and how funds have been expended by district; staff said the city will provide that breakdown. Trammell also noted a list of tax‑sale records she reviewed and asked whether some properties older than 20 years had been removed from the list; staff said they would consult legal and finance staff and return the details to council.

Council members described a recent meeting with administration officials (named participants included Mr. Donald, Thad and Miss Lawson) to align on drafting the new ordinances and to address the situation affecting the Grimm family, whose circumstances the council described as a motivating factor for further ordinance work and for a restitution payment referenced in Ordinance 2025‑188 on tonight’s regular agenda.

Councilmember Robertson said she had opposed prior language in committee but, given the administration’s commitments and the plan to draft clearer replacement ordinances within 30 days, she planned to support the restitution ordinance this afternoon and asked for council support.

No final vote on Ordinance 2025‑188 was recorded in the informal meeting transcript; the formal agenda and consent items will be taken up at the formal meeting. The continuation of Ordinance 2025‑173 to Sept. 22 was recorded on the informal docket and will appear on the next formal agenda in that form.