City Council adopts FY2026 budget after contentious public hearing over mobile-home repairs and housing aid

Richmond City Council on Tuesday adopted the mayor’s fiscal 2026 budget (ordinances 20-25-57 through 20-25-63) after a lengthy public hearing and debate in which residents and community organizers pressed the council to increase funding for mobile-home repairs, the Family Crisis Fund, eviction diversion and legal counsel for tenants.

Speakers at the public hearing included large contingents from RISC (Richmonders Involved to Strengthen our Communities) and New Virginia Majority, who repeatedly urged the council to restore or add funding the mayor did not include. Beverly Bryant, a RISC team leader, said mobile-home repairs are ‘‘life-changing’’ and requested $1,000,000 in this year’s budget. Beverly Ross, an advanced practice nurse and RISC team leader, described respiratory illnesses among children she attributes to poor conditions in mobile homes.

Community organizers also sought a larger Family Crisis Fund and stronger eviction-prevention measures. Peter Finn of New Virginia Majority urged council to support the proposed amendment for the Family Crisis Fund, saying the fund is “an immediate answer” to many pending eviction cases. Organizers asked the council to consider amounts substantially larger than the final amendment adopted.

Council members described a budget process constrained by time and limited discretionary dollars available to the council. Council Member Aberbacher said her "no" vote was a protest of process: "Council ... was left with only around $1,900,000 to shape in a $3,000,000,000 budget," she said, adding that her dissent reflected concern about transparency and the short window for amendments.

Council Member Gibson also criticized the process and said she would vote against the budget despite modest gains achieved via amendments: "The budget falls short ... the public is not looking for baby steps," Gibson said.

Other council members acknowledged shortcomings but supported the budget. Council Member Lynch and others said the budget contained investments they considered important and committed to revising the budget process for next year.

Key amendments adopted or noted during debate included additional funding for right-to-counsel and eviction-diversion programs, funding for elements of the People’s Budget, and a mobile-home repair allocation (an amount described in testimony and amendment debates). The transcript records public requests for $800,000 (attributed to a mayoral pledge cited by several speakers) and public advocacy for $1,000,000 from council amendments, while organizers urged substantially larger investments in the Family Crisis Fund (some speakers requested $9,000,000).

The council voted on the package of budget ordinances as a group. Votes recorded by the clerk were: Breton — Aye; Gibson — No; Jones — Aye; Robertson — Aye; Lynch — Aye; Abu Bakr — No; Vice President Jordan — Yes; President Newbill — Aye. The clerk announced the ordinances "have been adopted." The final tally on the floor was 6 yes, 2 no.

Speakers and community groups signaled they will continue advocacy on mobile-home repairs, eviction prevention and contract-worker wages. Several commenters urged a living wage for city-contracted security and maintenance workers and inclusion of wage standards in upcoming procurement (RFP) specifications.

The transcript does not record final line-item allocations for every program discussed. Council members committed to additional work sessions and to revisiting the budget-development timeline and procedures for fiscal 2027.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinances 20-25-57 through 20-25-63 (FY2026 budget package) — Adopted, vote 6–2 (No: Gibson, Abu Bakr).

The council also approved multiple consent-agenda ordinances earlier in the meeting and made several continuations; those items were adopted as presented in a separate consent vote.