[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6474656,"mediaKeyId","5739831-29cb41c40d7f2b6ddf3b0e57317a4475","parentId",5739831,"title","Richmond residents press council to protect immigrants, limit surveillance and prioritize protections for renters","audioSeconds",840,"startMs",417000,"endMs",1257000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5739831-29cb41c40d7f2b6ddf3b0e57317a4475&start=417&end=1257","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5739831-29cb41c40d7f2b6ddf3b0e57317a4475/thumbnail_417000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6474656/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Richmond-residents-press-council-to-protect-immigrants-limit-surveillance-and-prioritize-protections-for-renters","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474656-b6c439389ccef2687d05f869fb932f71/orig.mp4?Expires=1770419565&Signature=DuNbMMU5rlOfY1VMl-XdSAW1rkhDQW29WxNP5RuVmKOqvEAuENkXFaV05y07~IjAosYiNhZeOh7yu76kNsjeuGXWUexRBBpWGhbHIyU0hygJ2Jl16lkNlXCK1et90~QrMkjauo5JGPi~s-TvqIU~I4713dh1MfzQpi7~5impZlsKqlY8~ivnufIdF6MUUf~LO-9KS1YHuxXsra2Xkf-bvQt~vhld~WBlsVx9J48RwPzIHVSPgadnceHlp4SO5UHowLLIcaD8n9n0Mr3P9N9gy~MBCk7XgeKi0cWZcBVnXsG0sV-7BWVEKe6YSfRhVFPrJMtM2ua9KcMNKEXqI3NyvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richmond City","date","2025-09-09T00:00:00Z","article","Several dozen residents used the public-comment period to press the Richmond City Council on immigrant protections, city surveillance contracts, anti-rent-gouging measures and neighborhood safety problems.

Speakers representing immigrant‑rights groups urged the council to adopt a written trust policy that would limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and prohibit release of city data without a judicial warrant. Fern Diaz Castro said, “Stopping hateful and violent people, kidnapping our community members, and putting them through such conditions should be 1 of your top priorities.” Victoria McCullough urged the council to “codify a real trust policy, end surveillance with — end contracts with [license-plate readers] — and protect our communities from predatory landlords.”

Multiple speakers also called for Richmond to prioritize anti-rent-gouging legislation. Jana Hobbs and Casey Miller described personal experiences with sudden rent increases and said the General Assembly should permit municipalities to limit rent hikes. Miller said 56% of city residents rent and asked council to “demand general assembly to pass anti rent gouging legislation” and criticized use of local housing funds for other projects.

Traffic safety and enforcement practices were another recurring theme. Wanda Stallings accused the Richmond Police Department of improper camera enforcement and asked the council to “cease and desist all cameras and tickets until these things are done,” citing a FOIA request she said showed speed-warning lights were not functioning in May at several locations. Kimberly Fagan and other residents requested speed humps, enforcement, or signage near preschools and residential streets.

Other public-comments topics included concerns about an unlicensed group home reported by Rich Prater and criticism of the city’s bike-lane planning from Morgan Schaffer. Prater told council the house had repeated police and emergency calls and asked what the city will do “before we have to find out” whether a neighbor is harmed by occupants. Schaffer criticized planning, saying the city had spent heavily on bike planning without producing a safe, connected network.

Council members acknowledged the breadth of the community concerns and, in later debate on agenda items, returned repeatedly to the housing and surveillance issues raised in public comment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richmond City - Richmond City Council Formal Meeting - September 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During the public-comment period, dozens of Richmond residents urged the City Council to adopt an immigrant trust policy, end contracts for license-plate reader surveillance, prioritize anti-rent-gouging protections on the state legislative agenda and address neighborhood traffic safety and malfunctioning speed-camera enforcement.","taxTitle","Richmond City (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",5755,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474661,"Richmond Council delays sale of Henrico parcel, directs staff to solicit public bids",1779,2401000,4180000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5739831-29cb41c40d7f2b6ddf3b0e57317a4475&start=2401&end=4180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5739831-29cb41c40d7f2b6ddf3b0e57317a4475/thumbnail_2401000.jpg","/articles/6474661/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Richmond-Council-delays-sale-of-Henrico-parcel-directs-staff-to-solicit-public-bids","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474661-f4270ea97783a79d137685af010724ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770419565&Signature=KgCzsL4-CfH8CHBg3W6ZgFryRR9IlVoOt72wXwe4Irm1x3sl2CDApyEJxC2vIQg5A8DB6FNgfMB8bCZY993zBqFwnpmxgp5BnL6A21P9NpVWKLI-mBxDNAZHCRNewbGwAxr-2N~80J~2DjP~eBt-jk-5wAH59LnpBWNa-9zHfPT0dFiXtCOxEKJ3Ai2nK~NRvN6h607xT7jd713HC6OtcisMNBimdyBhQYUWyQmlg-hPJURJZlam8ysNqv2tNJP0aSFeNtRBMeXybceqthZWq1KHnVjVIVZ6FJFXmKHPZlHghAWWtjIvDJhJ7JD~NbY~n7bNjOJTwTXooARBS8UzRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richmond City Council voted to continue action on ordinance 20-25-1-80, which would convey city-owned property at 8790 Strath Road (a parcel located in Henrico County) so the city can solicit competitive bids and allow broader public notice and review.

Residents and council members questioned whether the unsolicited offer under consideration represented fair market value. Tyrese Johnson, who spoke in opposition during the consent-agenda public hearing, urged the council to “allow for a process that honors both the spirit and the letter of the ordinances previously enacted” and asked for a chance to submit a higher bid. Johnson cited city ordinances intended to guarantee fairness and transparency in surplus property sales.

Sharon Ebert, deputy chief administrative officer for planning and economic development, told council members the parcel had been acquired long ago by the Department of Utilities and that an unsolicited offer had been received from an adjacent homeowner who wanted to use the lot as a side yard. Ebert said the parcel is adjacent to high-power lines and that the offered amount was slightly above the assessed value.

Council members pressed for a consistent policy. Councilman Breton moved to continue the item while staff posts a public solicitation; Councilwoman Aberbacher and other members supported the continuance so the property could be marketed publicly. The council set a November 10 date for reconsideration to allow a 60-day bid window and additional vetting.

The motion to continue carried. Council members said they will work with administration to develop a standard process for disposing of surplus property so similar sales are handled uniformly in the future.","Council continued consideration of ordinance 20-25-1-80 — a proposed conveyance of a small city-owned parcel at 8790 Strath Road (in Henrico County) — to the November 10 council meeting and instructed staff to solicit competitive bids after residents raised concerns the listed price was too low.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474666,"Richmond Council approves $5.8 million restitution to wrongfully convicted man amid debate over housing fund",3009,4981000,7990000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5739831-29cb41c40d7f2b6ddf3b0e57317a4475&start=4981&end=7990","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5739831-29cb41c40d7f2b6ddf3b0e57317a4475/thumbnail_4981000.jpg","/articles/6474666/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Richmond-Council-approves-58-million-restitution-to-wrongfully-convicted-man-amid-debate-over-housing-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474666-6f4caa6a3c7f39ad2c7229fd79a40877/orig.mp4?Expires=1770419565&Signature=CNDoig61~GmUeUVUTjr6eI0-dMd3jCx54Gwo8uA93zVQmjsfaKJxXXwPV64eSyGxzK-usrdsoWqyQqwGHuFvU0~avXcRLrEhP38Gv9BP92qNSfWbBCHFgr6eu27S6Sf3JSJjyTdvlBGPcgfNMZjf~ZSTmLJZc6rhB2OjeDiRwRkCCYXMWzx~cOR6CoZpW0POUtV9Yq7sR2nOsjFy5E5Xc1~LqvBVFuxazT1bMba1OCBFDmHYpbj0YgNeqIdusFkEoNgeMGEC2WrZUtFjasnHI0IszJos2W48f0eY8bwpbtCHv9n3fCCrBDY31-0t6RSUfOUXEJxfFX05YX4N78oy9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richmond City Council voted to adopt ordinance 20-25-1-88, authorizing a transfer of $5,800,000 from the delinquent tax sale special fund into a new FY26 general fund line item labeled “restitution payments” to finance a court-ordered restitution payment pursuant to Virginia Code § 8.01-195.13.

The vote followed a public hearing in which housing and civil-rights advocates urged the council not to draw the money from a reserve that many say should instead support affordable housing. Tracy Hardney Scott, housing chair for the Virginia State Conference NAACP, said, “We must consider the broader impact of how transferring these funds are allocated,” and urged the council to identify an alternate source so the city does not “undercut the city's commitment to solving” the housing crisis.

Several speakers reiterated that position. Alex Krieger, a Presbyterian pastor and member of RISC (Richmond Involved to Strengthen our Communities), told the council that ordinance language and past practice had intended a portion of these funds for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and urged the council to preserve that commitment. Casey Miller, a renter from the Seventh District, said she “fully and vehemently support[s] that this man get the restitution he's so graciously deserved,” but repeated her concern about using the delinquent tax sale fund as the funding source.

Administration representatives told council members the funding source is lawful and available. CAO Donald said the administration had “identified a funding source that is lawful and appropriate to be able to resolve this matter” and said administration staff had been working to uncover other resources to invest in affordable housing as part of larger budget work.

Council debate centered on balancing an immediate obligation to remedy a wrongful conviction with long-standing community demands for dedicated affordable-housing revenue. Councilwoman Robertson said she would support the ordinance while pressing the administration for guarantees that expected roll-off tax-abatement revenues and other identified funds would be dedicated to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund going forward: “I’m gonna vote to support this because I’m gonna give the administration…an opportunity to know that we are trusting them to do exactly what they have promised to do,” she said, adding that the administration committed to specific follow-up and verification steps.

Council voted to adopt the ordinance. The council recorded its votes with the majority in favor; one member registered opposition on record. The council directed the administration to return quickly with clarified ordinance language and reporting showing how the administration will preserve and restore the dedicated affordable-housing revenues discussed during the hearing.

The ordinance places the $5.8 million into a new restitution line in FY26 and tasks the finance department with implementing the transfer and payment process. Council members also asked the administration for a written plan, within the short window discussed during the meeting, that documents where previously pledged affordable-housing revenues will be routed and how the administration will ensure ongoing funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.","The Richmond City Council adopted an ordinance to transfer $5.8 million from the delinquent tax sale special fund to pay restitution under Virginia Code § 8.01-195.13, drawing public opposition from housing advocates who urged the city to use other sources and protect the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Richmond residents press council to protect immigrants, limit surveillance and prioritize protections for renters

Richmond Council delays sale of Henrico parcel, directs staff to solicit public bids

Richmond Council approves $5.8 million restitution to wrongfully convicted man amid debate over housing fund