Housing

Everyone deserves the dignity of having a safe, clean, affordable home. But for many Richmonders, housing costs have risen faster than incomes, especially for low-wage earners and seniors on fixed incomes. Rising costs force vulnerable residents to spend a disproportionate amount of their household budget on housing. This financial strain is having the worst impacts on Black and Brown communities and legacy residents who cannot keep up with costs.

Our broken housing system is pushing an increasing number of Richmonders into financial peril, with many facing displacement and homelessness. My administration will make historic investments across the city and within City Hall to address this crisis through a robust, collaborative plan to meet the housing needs of all residents.

Richmond’s housing crisis is fueled by scarcity. The lack of available units has driven up housing and rental costs and priced out entire swaths of Richmonders from the housing market. My administration will confront this crisis by realigning the city's development rules to encourage new homes that fit anyone's budget, meet the needs of their family, and expand opportunities in every community. In addition, updating our zoning ordinances will encourage more housing types throughout the city and greater density along enhanced transit corridors.

Encouraging Infill Development

Despite recent progress, decades of market speculation and disinvestment still leave our city with hundreds of vacant lots, abandoned homes, and other underused properties. But transforming these liabilities one-by-one into new homes and other productive uses — a process called "infill" development — can often be stifled by outdated zoning codes and other barriers. Fixing those rules will be a critical step toward a growth strategy that prioritizes racial, social, and economic equity in Richmond.

Building and Preserving Multi-Family Development

By building and preserving multi-family development across the city, we can increase rental housing supply, promote affordability, and foster sustainable communities by creating a more equitable, accessible, and diverse housing market. We can also assist both landlords and tenants to keep multi-family units available:

Expedite the permitting process for all developments that include units with guaranteed long-term affordability.
Create a Rental Improvement Fund to provide modest loans to small landlords to make much-needed repairs while maintaining reasonable rents.
Create technical assistance resources and funding for tenant groups to have the option to purchase their building when the owner decides to sell.

Creating Affordable Housing Development Along Transit Corridors

Building housing along transit corridors offers an array of positive outcomes: convenience, sustainability, social equity, and economic development. Residents gain easy access to jobs, shops, and amenities without needing a car, saving money and reducing traffic congestion.

Coordinate with GRTC to install new passenger amenities and improved frequencies where development is occurring to ensure mixed-income communities have access to transit to reach jobs, goods, and services.
Create affordable housing tax-increment finance (TIF) zones for land within a half mile of Pulse stations and direct the future incremental tax revenues funds from the TIF to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for funding mixed-income projects within the Pulse TIF zone; establish similar TIF zones along future enhanced transit corridors.
Allow the development of middle housing (2- to 4-unit buildings) by-right within a half mile of high-frequency transit stops.

Expanding Housing Options for Low and Very-Low-Income Households

The City must become an active investor in affordable housing development through the use of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, bond financing, and the Economic Development Authority
Amend the rehabilitation tax abatement program to provide incentives for for-profit developers to create mixed-income residential housing where a portion of units are affordable to households earning 60% and below the AMI.
Support incubation and growth of new construction technologies like prefabricated, modular, and manufactured housing that standardize housing design and construction to reduce the cost of building affordable housing.

Partnering with Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT)

Explore expanding the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust scope to create small multi-family buildings (2- to 4-units) where one unit is owned by a qualifying-income household and the other unit(s) are rented to low-income households with Housing choice vouchers.
Analyze city-owned parcels in neighborhoods conducive to entry-level homeownership opportunities and transfer them to the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust.
Invest City funding toward direct vacant property and building acquisition for the City's land bank.

Based on a similar concept that is already used in D.C., the conservancy model involves a non-profit partnering with outside investment to acquire and manage apartment buildings to preserve affordable units. The conservancy can target buildings in high-opportunity neighborhoods, aiming to prevent displacement and create stable communities.

How it works:

Public-Private Partnership: combines a non-profit (Housing Conservancy) with an investment pool managed by private firms. This attracts private capital for a social good, while also measuring and reporting community outcomes to evaluate the success of the model.
Acquiring Property: the private investment pool allows the Housing Conservancy to acquire mixed-income residential properties similar to traditional market actors. With clearly defined loan terms and exits, the investment pool allows a property to remain in the hands of a community-serving nonprofit to preserve affordable homes for the long-term.
Focus on Racial Equity: The housing conservancy model prioritizes preserving affordable housing for moderate- and low-income residents and residents of color, addressing historical housing inequalities.
Mixed-Income Communities: The housing conservancy model strives for inclusive communities with a mix of incomes, promoting social and economic integration.
Avoiding the "Housing Cliff": The housing conservancy model aims to prevent residents from losing their apartments due to moderate income increases that push them above traditional affordability thresholds.

Revenue generated by our tax base funds our schools, public amenities, and the delivery of city services. Historically, taxes are raised to fund new projects and initiatives to shoulder those costs. But it doesn’t mean you see a direct reinvestment for neighborhood improvements.

That’s why, in 2020, I worked with then-Senator Jennifer McClellan to pass legislation to allow Richmond to adopt a land value tax model that shifts our focus from taxing buildings to taxing land value itself.

This revenue model is a smarter, more equitable approach that ensures Richmond grows responsibly—without displacing residents or stifling development.

This will help lower the tax burden on homeowners (especially seniors and those on fixed incomes who struggle to keep up with rising taxes), encourage the development of unused properties like empty parking lots and shuttered storefronts, and create more housing options to reduce housing scarcity to mitigate rising rent prices. As Richmond’s next mayor, I will begin implementing the LVT system in my first budget.

How the Land Value Tax Works

Shifts the tax burden from buildings to land: Unlike traditional property taxes that tax both land and structures, the LVT focuses primarily on the value of the land. This means that homeowners won't be taxed more for improvements or additions to their homes and their annual tax bills remain steady.

One of the most urgent aspects of our housing crisis is the sharp increase in evictions across the city over the last several years. We need to take bold action to help protect Richmonders from the destabilizing impacts of eviction. We can do that by understanding the core causes of eviction and providing support for those at risk of losing their homes.

Right to Counsel

Right now, tenants in Richmond navigate the eviction process alone without the guidance of an attorney, which can be incredibly challenging. Right-to-counsel policies help level the playing field by providing them with legal support. They promote a fairer housing court system and can play a significant role in reducing homelessness and housing insecurity.

One Shot Deal Eviction Diversion

Many evictions result from unforeseen financial setbacks, such as the death of a family member or surprise medical expenses. This means someone could have a stable income but be unable to keep up with housing expenses. This program would provide a one-time grant to Richmonders to cover housing-related expenses and help them stay in their homes.

All Richmonders deserve the opportunity to age in place. This familiarity provides comfort and a sense of control over daily life while preserving essential social connectivity and well-being. But for too many older Richmonders, costs are exceeding their limited incomes and our housing policy must include efforts to help prevent the displacement of legacy residents.

Critical home repair programs are financial assistance programs targeted toward low-income homeowners. These programs help fix essential health and safety hazards within the home, allowing residents to live safely and comfortably. Code enforcement officers will be trained to inform residents about financial assistance and repair programs before issuing citations for violations related to aging homes.
Work with trade unions to collaborate on home repair and maintenance initiatives that provide training opportunities for residents while helping modernize and update homes

Increase education/promotion of existing programs and expand programs to aid homeowners in implementing energy efficiency and stormwater upgrades, including establishing a Residential PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy).

Continue to allocate Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) Investment Partnerships Program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to non-profit affordable housing developers to create or preserve homeownership opportunities, especially in neighborhoods experiencing gentrification.

Coordinate and promote existing Green and Healthy Homes programs to address and promote the basic healthy homes principles of dry, clean, ventilated, free from pests and contaminants, well-maintained, and safe.
Track and report annually the funding that the City allocates to existing moderate- and low-income homeowners and elderly homeowners to fix their homes.

Encourage and facilitate property tax relief for very-low and low-income seniors to allow them to stay in their neighborhoods.

Amend the Zoning Ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units in all residential zones to allow for in-law apartments.

Educate seniors about reverse mortgages to prevent seniors from agreeing to predatory agreements.
Encourage the creation of 55+ senior communities within a quarter-mile of high-frequency transit stops.

The City of Richmond must confront its historic role in disinvestment and racist disenfranchisement of our public housing communities. My administration will take a proactive approach, centering RRHA residents in the process of redeveloping Richmond’s public housing stock to prevent displacement, ensure families have access to safe and dignified housing, and to strengthen the community that residents have been building despite neglect from its City government.

Identify revenue streams dedicated to the transformation of public housing into mixed-income residential neighborhoods.
Develop small area plans with inclusive community input (including existing RRHA residents) to plan for the redevelopment of Priority neighborhoods.
Ensure that all RRHA residents have quality housing and choice by working with public housing residents to consider forming homeowner associations or cooperative housing corporations by rehabilitating and then purchasing their current housing for a nominal cost.
Partner with the RRHA to assist over-income public housing residents transition to market-rate housing by providing wrap-around supportive services to increase confidence and financial security.
Partner with the RRHA to develop an agreement that integrates the city’s and the RRHA’s housing objectives into a comprehensive strategy to end poverty and to assist public housing residents build wealth.
Partner with RRHA to provide community members the opportunity to negotiate the terms of redevelopment for each Priority neighborhood through the creation of a Tenant Bill of Rights.

The city’s lack of affordable housing has led to a sharp increase in the number of Richmonders experiencing homelessness. We must act to meet this urgent crisis, and by putting robust strategies in place, we can reach our goal of ensuring that homelessness is rare, brief, and one-time. Here’s how we can meet this complex challenge:

Amend the Zoning Ordinance to allow by right emergency shelter units and permanent supportive housing units in zoning districts where currently permitted by conditional use permits only.

Create siting criteria and program requirements for City-wide emergency housing facilities, including a maximum number of units permitted, the maximum travel distance permitted to public transit, on-site management, food services, social services, housing services, and facility security for both the residents and community.

Expand partnerships serving the homeless to provide small year-round emergency housing facilities with supportive services and food for all homeless populations.

Amend zoning definitions related to services and facilities serving people experiencing homelessness (including group homes, lodging houses, and multi-family/permanent supportive housing) to support best and emerging practices as designated by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Leverage the housing and funding expertise of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to increase permanent supportive housing to Richmonders exiting homelessness.
Review City properties for suitability for conversion to emergency housing or services to meet the needs of Richmonders experiencing homelessness.

We have incredible potential to transform our citywide approach to housing, but we need to ensure internal stakeholders within City Hall and regional leaders are aligned on adapting housing policies across central Virginia. My administration will engage key stakeholders like the Partnership for Housing Affordability (PHA). Here’s how we can increase awareness and encourage collaboration to meet our goals:

Develop and fund a housing policy educational program for newly elected officials and staff across the region involved in planning, housing, and community development activities.
Increase awareness and improve relationships with landlords regarding the Housing choice voucher program, particularly in areas within nodes, priority neighborhoods, and a half mile of high-frequency transit stops, and highlight the new state law (HB6 Virginia Fair Housing law), which prevents landlords from discriminating against renters with Housing choice vouchers.
Create a center for homeownership that is a clearinghouse for information on city programs, grants, loans, and education, working with partners such as PHA, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and Virginia Housing to increase homeownership, particularly among Black and Brown households.