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To request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Finance and Department of Housing and Community Development, in coordination with other relevant City departments, to conduct an inventory of existing City programs and initiatives that mitigate displacement, to assess their effectiveness, and to report findings and recommendations to the Council within 120 days.
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WHEREAS, the City recognizes the importance of protecting residents, small businesses, and cultural institutions from displacement due to rising housing costs, redevelopment, and public infrastructure investment; and
WHEREAS, the City currently implements programs and initiatives that, either directly or indirectly, support the goal of mitigating displacement, though many were not originally designed with that purpose; and
WHEREAS, the City’s existing strategies must be thoroughly reviewed, updated, and aligned with best practices in order to ensure equitable and effective responses to displacement pressures; and
WHEREAS, the Council seeks to make informed policy and budgetary decisions grounded in a comprehensive understanding of current efforts, program effectiveness, and service gaps; and
WHEREAS, cross-departmental collaboration is necessary to ensure a full and accurate inventory of City efforts related to displacement mitigation;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND:
That the Council hereby requests the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Finance and the Department of Housing and Community Development, in coordination with other relevant City departments, to conduct a cross-departmental inventory of all existing programs and initiatives that serve to mitigate displacement of residents, businesses, and cultural assets in the City of Richmond.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the Council hereby requests that the inventory shall include the following:
1. Identification of all City-funded programs, land use tools, and policy mechanisms related to housing stability, tenant protections, housing affordability, and cultural heritage support;
2. An assessment of inputs, outputs, and outcomes of each program, including key program indicators such as number of participants compared to the eligible population, when that information is available or could be estimated with reasonable accuracy, case or ticket processing times, participant satisfaction or other performance-related survey data, dedicated full-time equivalent staff allocated to administer each program, and program spending; and
3. Identification of gaps and opportunities for improvement or expansion, including staffing needs.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the Council hereby requests that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Finance and the Department of Housing and Community Development to:
1. Begin the cross-departmental inventory of all existing programs and initiatives that serve to mitigate displacement of residents, businesses, and cultural assets by reviewing and updating the One Richmond: An Equitable Affordable Housing Plan, a copy of which is attached to this resolution, including progress toward current goals, newly available data, and alignment with City priorities; and
2. Report findings, along with policy recommendations and proposed next steps, to the Council within 120 days after adoption of this resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the Council encourages community engagement throughout the cross-departmental inventory of all existing programs and initiatives that serve to mitigate displacement of residents, businesses, and cultural assets to ensure a transparent and inclusive review of existing efforts.
DATE: October 3, 2025
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: RJ Warren, Council Chief of Staff
THROUGH: Maria Garnett, Council Policy Analyst
FROM: The Honorable Ellen F. Robertson, Councilmember 6th District
RE: To request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Finance and Department of Housing and Community Development, in coordination with other relevant City departments, to conduct an inventory of existing City programs and initiatives that mitigate displacement, to assess their effectiveness, and to report findings and recommendations to the Council within 120 days.
CNL-2025-0044
PURPOSE: This resolution formally requests the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to direct a comprehensive, cross-department review, inventory, and high-level evaluation of existing City programs and initiatives that mitigate displacement, to be led by the Department of Finance and Department of Housing and Community Development (“the Departments”). The implementation of this resolution would enable a strategic, data-informed approach to understanding what is already working, and where opportunities exist, so the City of Richmond can create a robust infrastructure to prevent displacement.
BACKGROUND: As articulated by Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) of Virginia in the attached memorandum, Richmond’s growth and increased investment has brought many positive changes to the City and its residents, but this growth also poses displacement risks for our most vulnerable residents, businesses, and cultural assets. While the City has launched successful initiatives to increase affordable housing and help residents stay housed, such as the Eviction Diversion Program and increased investments in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, more can be done to prevent displacement. Through strategic planning, resource alignment, and community engagement-all of which are encompassed by the resolution’s requested action to be directed by the CAO- the City can develop, sustain, and scale more robust and equitable solutions that foster inclusive development, stabilize communities of color and low-income communities, address housing affordability and price increases, and ensure housing supply anticipates and meets demand.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: This resolution reflects Councilmember Robertson’s longstanding commitment to ensuring that the City not only has an adequate supply of safe, affordable housing but also that its growth will include, rather than exclude or expel, its most vulnerable and longstanding residents.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: Multiple pillars of the Avula administration are reflected in this resolution and its intended outcomes, namely “Thriving Neighborhoods,” “Thriving Economy,” and “A City That Tells Its Stories.”
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A; the resolution prompts collection and centralization of programmatic and spending data that is already available.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: October 14, 2025
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: November 10, 2025
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Deputy CAO for Finance and Administration
Deputy CAO for Planning and Economic Development
Department of Finance
Department of Housing and Community Development
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None
ATTACHMENTS: Draft Resolution
Memorandum from Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) of VA
One Richmond: An Equitable Affordable Housing Plan (January 2022)
STAFF: Maria Garnett, Council Policy Analyst, (804) 298-5052