Resident tells committee Haystackwood residents face violent incidents, alleges RHA negligence

Latonya Tucker, a registered virtual speaker during the Public Safety Standing Committee meeting, called attention to worsening safety conditions at the Haystackwood property she identified as managed by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

Tucker said she had documented “instances of armed standoffs between neighbors, explicit threats of violence, and continuous disturbances that go unchecked,” and that efforts to alert RHA executives and property managers had produced little change. “Security patrols are brief and superficial,” she said, and she described the situation as “a desperate call for intervention.”

The speaker said she submitted a petition to CEO Steven Nesmith requesting “necessary safety improvements,” and asked the committee for support to enforce changes before “another life is lost.” Committee members acknowledged her comments and thanked her for speaking.

The remarks came during the committee’s public comment period and did not include any formal staff report or motion by the committee. The committee did not take an immediate vote or provide a formal directive on record during Tucker’s remarks.

Because the comments were public testimony, they represent resident concerns rather than findings by the city or the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority; the committee did not present a staff response or timeline for follow-up during the same meeting.

The committee proceeded to other agenda items after the public comment period closed.