Richmond council directs city attorney to require council approval before RRHA signs master development agreement for Gilpin Court

Richmond City Council on July 28 adopted a resolution directing the city attorney to notify the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority that the RRHA must get City Council approval before entering a master development agreement (MDA) for the redevelopment of Gilpin Court.

The action followed extended public comment from Gilpin Court residents and advocates who said they were not informed about the MDA and raised concerns about housing displacement, lack of transparency at RRHA and alleged misconduct by RRHA leadership. Councilmember Kenya Gibson, who sponsored the resolution, said she reviewed documents and cited Code of Virginia language on redevelopment plans to argue the authority needed governing-body approval before implementing an MDA.

Why it matters: Council members and tenant advocates said the decision is intended to protect nearly all residents of Gilpin Court and to ensure local oversight before a public-housing site moves into a privately administered redevelopment…