Housing, Growth, and $100M for Water Infrastructure: What Richmond City Council Just Decided
- Voice !t Staff
- Oct 17
- 4 min read
Richmond City Council met on October 14, 2025 and tackled decisions that will shape neighborhoods, public safety, housing access, and city infrastructure. Some votes moved big funding forward. Others reshaped land use and development. And residents spoke up about water, rent hikes, and community safety. Here’s what happened.
🌟 Community Spotlight: Residents Speak Up 🌟
Richmond residents made it clear: people are paying attention, and they’re speaking up.
Public Safety & Community Well-Being
James (3rd District): Protect the city’s water supply
Aurora (7th District): Concern over extremist group signs in neighborhoods
Josue (6th District): Safety in immigrant communities
Housing Stability
Ross (1st District): Support for affordable housing
Chad (3rd District): Called for anti–rent gouging protections
Cindy (N/A): Opposed illegal evictions
Neighborhood Conditions
Blair (5th District): Reported water leaks in alleyways
Charles (5th District): Raised concerns about conditions in the 5th District
Education & Public Services
Christine (2nd District): Shared Richmond Public Library summer reading Program updates
Why this matters: These issues: water access, rent costs, safety, and neighborhood upkeep — match what Council voted on this week. Change didn’t start in City Hall. It started with residents showing up and speaking up.
New Housing and Development Approved Across the City
Several new housing developments were approved, mostly small to mid-size projects:
Two single-family homes + four townhomes at 3801–3803 Hanover Ave (1st District)
A 3-unit multifamily building at 2618 Rear West Main St (2nd District)
Two new homes at 1008 N 35th St (7th District)
Six attached homes at 1924 Wood St (6th District)
Forty townhomes across Decatur Street parcels (6th District)
Why this matters: These projects add new housing options — but where homes are built also affects affordability, road use, school enrollment, and who gets to live in growing neighborhoods. Are these developments meeting community needs, or just market demand?
Land Use, Zoning, and Infrastructure: Foundations for Growth
Council also made decisions that shape where and how the city grows:
Rezoned 526 Maury Street from Heavy Industrial to Transit-Oriented Development (TOD-1), making way for future mixed-use development near public transit.
Accepted $250,000 for emergency radio system upgrades to improve public safety communication.
Accepted $100,000,000 (yes, million) from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for the Canoe Run Park water storage tank project.
Why this matters: Roads, water, and zoning decisions shape Richmond for decades. These choices impact safety, future development, and neighborhood stability. Who benefits from the growth we’re building toward — and who gets left out?
Housing Policy + Short-Term Rentals: Balancing Neighbors and Visitors
Council weighed decisions that affect how housing is used:
Approved three short-term rental units at 15 E Main Street (5th District)
Approved two small business uses at 2600 W Main St and 2 S Robinson St (2nd & 5th Districts)
Approved funding for an affordable housing development at 2201 McDonough St and surrounding parcels (5th District)
Why this matters: Short-term rentals can boost tourism but reduce available housing for residents. Affordable housing funding helps stabilize communities but only if built where people can actually afford to live. So what kind of city do we want to build: one people visit or one people can afford to call home?
Youth Investment Moves Forward
Council approved a partnership with NextUp RVA to fund the 2025 CarMax Basketball Youth Development and Summer Camp Program.
Why this matters: Investing in youth keeps communities strong. Programs like this can boost opportunity but do they reach the neighborhoods that need them most?
Energy and Utility Decisions Touch Community Access
Council approved utility easements for electricity upgrades at community facilities on:
Ruffin Road
U Street
Monument Avenue
East 4th Street
It also approved a solar farm and pollinator meadow at 3800 E Richmond Road (7th District).
Why this matters: Energy access isn’t just about power it’s about cost and reliability. Are we building toward cleaner, more affordable energy for residents or just expanding grid infrastructure?
2026 Real Estate Tax Rate Set
Council voted to set the 2026 property tax rate at $1.20 per $100 of assessed value. A competing proposal to increase the rate to $1.16 was rejected.
Why this matters: Property taxes fund city services, but higher rates can push homeowners — especially seniors — out of their homes. How do we balance affordability with city needs?
Coming Up: Public Hearings November 10
Council delayed votes until November 10 on major items including:
Creating an online FOIA request library
Towing and storage fee limits for vehicles removed from private property
Open data access
Rental inspection program
Economic interest disclosures for boards and commissions
Multiple housing site approvals
Why this matters: Many of these items deal with government transparency and renters' rights. Delays can help refine policy but can also slow accountability. Will residents stay engaged?
Sent to Committee for More Review
These proposals move forward for more work:
Affordable housing at 3940 Rosedale Ave
Tourism projects in Scott’s Addition & Shockoe
Utility easement at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Lease with Richmond Community ToolBank
Penalties for illegal demolitions in historic districts
Displacement prevention program review
FOIA library proposal
East Franklin Street multi-family housing
Final Thoughts
Local government may not trend on social media, but it decides what our bills look like, how safe our streets feel, and whether we can afford to stay in our neighborhoods. This week’s meeting proves that policy isn’t abstract, it’s personal. And when residents show up, decision-makers listen.
Richmond moves when we do.
Stay informed. Stay engaged. Your voice shapes what happens next.
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