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City and RRHA present Gilpin Court MOU committing to resident‑centered redevelopment and 1‑for‑1 replacement
Summary
City staff and RRHA presented a proposed MOU to establish a joint Gilpin transformation working group and a Jackson Ward steering committee, prioritize 1‑for‑1 replacement of 781 deeply affordable units, a people plan including case management and job training, and a multi‑year implementation timeline; the committee voted to forward the MOU to council with a recommendation to approve.
Thad Williamson, senior policy strategist in the mayor’s office, and Sharon Ebert, DCAO for Planning and Economic Development, presented a proposed memorandum of understanding between the City of Richmond and the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) to guide the redevelopment of Gilpin Court and to serve as a template for future public housing transformations.
Ebert described the MOU's core elements: formation of a joint working group of senior staff from the city and RRHA; establishment of a Jackson Ward community plan steering committee; and commitment to a people plan that assesses households, provides case management, prioritizes tenant protections and aims for 1‑for‑1 replacement of all 781 deeply affordable units. "One for one replacement of all 781 deeply affordable housing units," Ebert said, listing that replacement may occur both within the current Gilpin footprint and in adjacent communities to avoid concentrating poverty.
RRHA CEO Steven Neesmith thanked staff and the authority’s board and said the MOU could lead to a major long‑term partnership and investment to transform public housing. Committee members praised the collaborative process but asked staff to tighten language in the MOU and to develop an implementation strategy and mapping to budget and alignment with other city efforts (RVA Rising and the code refresh).
The committee voted to forward Resolution 2026 R029 to council with a recommendation to approve. Members asked staff for a detailed implementation plan, alignment with voucher recipients citywide, and continued resident engagement as next steps.
