Richmond residents press council to fund mobile-home repairs, affordable-housing trust and school contracts during budget hearing

Hundreds of Richmond residents urged the Richmond City Council on April 14 to add or restore funding for mobile-home repairs, make the legally required $8.2 million transfer from expiring property-tax abatements to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and fully fund school staff collective bargaining agreements as the council continues its 2026 budget review.

Speakers at a lengthy public hearing asked council to support a proposed $1,000,000 allocation for mobile-home repairs and to ensure a dedicated revenue stream to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund that residents and advocacy groups said the city has not followed in recent years. Many speakers also urged the council to increase the Family Crisis Fund and to guarantee funding for negotiated raises and supplements for Richmond Public Schools (RPS) staff.

Advocates and residents framed the requests as urgent. Martin Wegbrite of Richmonders Involved to Strengthen our Communities (RISC) said the draft budget cuts $200,000 from the eviction-diversion program and removes $800,000 from a proposed mobile-home repairs allocation. "A cut of 20% would deny help to 67 families facing eviction," Wegbrite…