title
To request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Planning and Development Review, in coordination with other relevant City departments, to conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a registration system for non-profit housing providers to register housing units reserved for affordable housing tenants and purchasers within the city for the purpose of identifying such units and recognizing affordability restrictions in the valuation of such properties for taxation purposes and to provide the Council with recommendations for implementing such system.
body
WHEREAS, upon the information and belief of Council, the City of Richmond continues to experience a shortage of affordable housing units available to residents with low- and moderate-income levels; and
WHEREAS, non-profit housing providers play an important role in the development, preservation, and operation of housing units reserved for affordable housing tenants and purchasers within the city; and
WHEREAS, upon the information and belief of Council, housing units that are subject to long-term affordability restrictions may have market values that differ from unrestricted market-rate housing due to limitations on rents, sale prices, or eligible occupants; and
WHEREAS, the Council believes that establishing a registration system for non-profit housing providers that maintain housing units reserved for affordable housing may assist the City in identifying such units and provide relevant information to the City Assessor; and
WHEREAS, the Council further believes that such information may assist in evaluating assessment practices that appropriately recognize affordability restrictions in the valuation of such properties for local taxation purposes;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND:
That the Council hereby requests that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Housing and Community Development to conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a registration system for non-profit housing providers to register housing units reserved for affordable housing tenants and purchasers within the city for the purpose of identifying such units and recognizing affordability restrictions in the valuation of such properties for taxation purposes.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That such study should include, but not be limited to, consideration of the following:
1. The feasibility of establishing a voluntary or mandatory registration system for non-profit housing providers that maintain housing units reserved for affordable housing tenants or purchasers;
2. The types of information that may be appropriate for inclusion in such a registration system, including but not limited to the number, location, affordability restrictions, and duration of such restrictions applicable to the housing units;
3. The administrative, fiscal, and operational impacts of establishing and maintaining such a registration system;
4. The extent to which information obtained through such a system could assist the City Assessor in identifying housing units subject to affordability restrictions and in evaluating assessment practices that appropriately recognize such restrictions in determining property values for taxation purposes;
5. Which City Department reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer that is best suited to operate the registration system that will receive and evaluate the non-profit registration and report that information to the City Assessor; and
6. Any additional recommendations related to the development and implementation of such a registration system.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the Chief Administrative Officer is hereby requested to submit a written report of the findings and conclusions of this study along with recommendations for implementation, to the Council no later than 90 days after adoption of this resolution.
DATE: April 6, 2026
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: Ellen Robertson, 6th District Council Member
THROUGH: RJ Warren, Council Chief of Staff
THROUGH: Will Perkins, Senior Legislative Services Manager
FROM: Steven Taylor, Council Policy Analyst
RE: To request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Planning and Development Review, in coordination with other relevant City departments, to conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a registration system for non-profit housing providers to register housing units reserved for affordable housing tenants and purchasers within the city for the purpose of identifying such units and recognizing affordability restrictions in the valuation of such properties for taxation purposes and to provide the Council with recommendations for implementing such system.
CNL-2026-0027
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the resolution is to request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause a study to be conducted, and its conclusions reported to the City Council, that would allow providers to register affordable housing units and provide information on those units to reliably determine the value of non-profit affordable housing units so that they may be assessed properly for real estate taxation.
The patron requests that the study consider the feasibility of creating a voluntary or mandatory registration system for nonprofit housing providers units. The study should report to Council what should be included in such a registration system and the extent to which such a system can be used to assist in determining the real property values of these units in order to alleviate tax burdens placed on the providers so that they can continue to provide affordable housing units in the city.
BACKGROUND:
Non-profit developers and providers of affordable housing have explained to the patron that there is difficulty in communicating to the city that they are providing housing units at below market rates. The patron believes that a system of objectively providing this information to the city so that it can be taken into account when determining the value of those units for tax assessment purposes and tax billing is needed. The patron is concerned that if this this information is not being communicated reliably these units will be assessed at tax values that make it difficult to provide affordable housing.
FISCAL IMPACT: Generally, studies such as those proposed here are prepared by current staff.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: April 27, 2026
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: May 11, 2026
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development.
AFFECTED AGENCIES: CAO, Planning and Development Review, Finance Dept, City Assessor, Housing and Community Development
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None
ATTACHMENTS: None.
STAFF: Steven Taylor, Council Policy Analyst, (804) 646-2780.