Richmond, VA — The Honorable Mayor Levar M. Stoney proclaimed today October 11 Indigenous Peoples' Day in the City of Richmond and honored representatives from tribes in the region at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.

“The fact that we are celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day – not Columbus Day – at this museum and in this city – speaks volumes as to how far we’ve come,” said Mayor Levar M. Stoney. “The fact that this is only our third year doing so tells us that we have a ways to go.”

Mayor Stoney was joined by VMHC President Jamie O. Bosket, members of Richmond City Council, and members of the Cheroenhaka, Nottoway, Mattaponi, and Patawomeck Tribes.

Mayor Stoney recognized the resilience and impact of Indigenous people who contribute to our community as lawyers, artists, doctors, businesspersons, public servants, and spiritual leaders.

Dr. Sheila K. Wilson Elliott, Foundation Chair of the Nottoway Tribe, brought greetings by sharing words from the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address Greetings to the Natural World. 

“We bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people. Now our minds are one,” Dr. Elliot said. “We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life.”   

“Indigenous peoples are some of our most ingenious peoples,” said Mayor Stoney. “We are a more inclusive, stronger and better city because of them. And as Mayor as this Great City, I thank them.”

Event live-steam can be found here.  

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The city’s American Rescue Plan Act budget amendment was introduced at last night’s formal meeting of Richmond City Council. The amendment outlines the proposed allocation of $77.5 million from the federal government, the first half of the total amount of funding ($155 million) allotted to the city.

The final spending plan is a product of consensus reached between the administration and Council. Because the plan is a budget amendment, it cannot be amended.

“This final plan represents a blueprint for building back better and stronger through strategic, intentional and equitable investments that deliver on the promise of a quality of life our residents want, need and deserve,” said Mayor Levar M. Stoney.

“I’d like to thank the members of Richmond City Council for their insight and collaboration to use this funding to make significant advances in affordable housing, health and the well-being of our children and families.”

The overall spending proposal includes:

• $32 million to build back affordable and healthy homes, including $20 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, meeting the goal established in the Equity Agenda and supported by City Council four years ahead of schedule.

• $5 million for a Health Equity fund, managed by the Richmond City Health District through an MOU with the city. The fund would support ongoing COVID-19 response, maternal and infant health, food access, mental and behavioral health, and more.

• $81 million invested in children and families, residents’ top priority in the first round of public engagement, with $2 million for childcare and $78 million for funding community centers including: T.B. Smith Community Center, Southside Community Center, Calhoun Center and a new center on the current site of Lucks Field.

The plan also includes $19 million to plan for and address climate and environmental challenges in the city, an $8.5 million investment in public safety, and $5.9 million in economic supports.

Changes implemented in the month since the Mayor’s announcement of the draft plan include:

• Shifting $3 million from lead line replacement to a dedicated CDFI revolving loan fund to support small businesses.
• Transferring $1 million from storm water infrastructure (originally $13.5 M) to the Family Crisis Fund, which will provide $1 million in immediate economic relief for families.

The city gathered feedback on the draft plan from September 21 to October 4 and reached 1,300 individuals - 51.4% through digital engagement and 48.6% through in-person or phone conversations. When given the chance to add or remove something from the plan, an average of 75% of responses per category elected not to; 25% of responses proposed changes.

To read the full plan and find details on the public engagement period, please visit www.rva.gov/arp.

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Media Advisory
Monday, October 11, 2021
Contact: Devin Wood
Cell: 804-484-4800
Devin.Wood@rva.gov

Richmond, VA — The City of Richmond has launched a new website to start marketing the redevelopment of the 66.7 acre Diamond site on North Arthur Ashe Boulevard. The new website precedes a Request for Interest (RFI) that will be released by the city before the end of 2021. The city has also created a new webpage on RVA.gov to keep citizens informed on the vision, process, and opportunity for the redevelopment site. Both websites will have documents associated with the RFI process after the RFI is released.

“The Diamond site is the premier redevelopment opportunity on the east coast and presents a transformational opportunity for Richmond,” said Maritza Mercado Pechin, Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Development Review and leader of the city’s Office of Equitable Development. “Residents were clear in communicating their desires for the redevelopment of the site in Richmond 300 and the Greater Scott’s Addition Small Area Plan. Generating interest in the redevelopment opportunity and issuing the RFI are the next steps to see the shared vision become a reality.”

The marketing website can be found at www.rvadiamond.com.

The new webpage on RVA.gov can be found at www.rva.gov/economic-development/diamond.

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RICHMOND, Va. – The Department of Public Works kicks off the city’s annual Leaf Collection Program on October 4. Residents have two collection options for bagged leaves, (1) put out up to 10 bags on their regular trash pick-up day and (2) use the Sector Collection system, which coincides with trash collection days, but allows for an unlimited number of bags and an extended collection period. Biodegradable bags are preferred.

• Sector 1: Wednesday trash collection
  
  • All bagged leaves will be picked up between November 3 and November 17
• Sector 2: Thursday trash collection
  
  • All bagged leaves will be picked up between November 18 and November 27
• Sector 3: Monday trash collection
  
  • All bagged leaves will be picked up between November 29 and December 11
• Sector 4: Tuesday trash collection
  
  • All bagged leaves will be picked up between December 14 and December 31

Vacuum collection begins on November 1. There is a $30 fee per request for this service. Residents must remove sticks, stones or other objects that may damage equipment and rake leaves to the curb or property line, but not into the street or gutters. The leaves must be ready for collection when the request is made. The service will take place within 15 days of the request. Please note, vacuum service may be delayed during inclement weather.

Requests and payments can be made at www.RVA311.com or by calling 3-1-1 or by mailing a check/money order to: City Hall, DPW Vacuum Service; 900 East Broad Street, Room 704; Richmond, VA 23219 

A service request ID number is generated for requests made through the RVA311 system, please be sure to include that number on the check or money order.

Lastly, there is an option to do-it-yourself. Residents can drop off loose leaves or put them in biodegradable bags at East Richmond Road Convenience Center at 3800 East Richmond Road or at the Maury Street Landfill at 2900 Maury Street. The transfer station located at 3506 North Hopkins Road accepts only bagged leaves. Additionally, residents can compost or mulch leaves. Compost bins are available for $41.50. Send an email to askpublicworks@rva.gov or call 804-646-8325 for information on ordering a compost bin.  

For more information on leaf collection please visit www.rva.gov/public-works or for assistance, call 3-1-1.

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA.

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 178 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting;  graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1.

Para leer una copia de las declaraciones del alcalde, oprima aquí. Para conocer más detalles del plan, visite la página www.rva.gov/arp.

Richmond, Virginia — Hoy, durante la reunión informal del Concejo de la ciudad de Richmond, fue presentado el borrador del plan de inversiones para unos $155 millones otorgados por el gobierno federal.

El borrador incorpora las opiniones de unas dos mil personas que llenaron la encuesta, además de las perspectivas particulares de los miembros del Concejo de la ciudad, quienes compartieron las prioridades y preocupaciones principales de cada uno de sus distritos.

El alcalde llamó al plan “un plano para una mejor y más poderosa reconstrucción, a través de inversiones estratégicas, intencionales y equitativas que satisfacen la promesa de una calidad de vida que nuestros residentes quieren, necesitan y merecen”.

Los siguientes son algunos puntos llamativos del plan. Puede encontrar los detalles completos en la página www.rva.gov/arp:

Incluye $32 millones para volver a construir hogares asequibles y saludables. Esto incluye $20 millones para el Fideicomiso para Vivienda Asequible, lo que permitiría cumplir con la meta establecida en la Agenda de Equidad apoyada por el Concejo cuatro años antes de lo programado.

El plan propone la creación de un Fondo para Equidad en Salud de $5 millones, que sería administrado por el Distrito de Salud de la Ciudad de Richmond mediante un memorando de acuerdo (MOU, por sus siglas en inglés) con la ciudad. Este fondo apoyaría una respuesta continua contra el COVID-19, además de salud materno-infantil, acceso a alimentación, salud mental y del comportamiento, entre otros.

Dijo la directora de Equidad en la Salud del Distrito de Salud de la Ciudad de Richmond, Jackie Lawrence: “Sabemos que el acceso individual y familiar a la alimentación, a los servicios preventivos y de salud mental tienen un impacto enorme en su salud… hemos visto cómo esto ha ocurrido durante la pandemia, pero esto no es exclusivo del COVID-19. Una inversión financiera en servicios de salud pública que sea incluyente y que tenga en cuenta los determinantes sociales de la salud, tendrá beneficios de larga duración para la comunidad”.

Se dirigirán $2 millones hacia el cuidado infantil (guarderías, etc.) y otros $78 millones hacia los parques y centros comunitarios, para un total de $80 millones de inversión en los niños y sus familias, la cual fue señalada como la prioridad número uno de los richmondeses durante la primera ronda de participación pública. Los centros comunitarios que recibirían la inversión incluyen a los siguientes:

• T.B. Smith
• Southside
• Calhoun
• y un nuevo centro comunitario en el actual Lucks Field.

Con los fondos provistos por el plan, los centros comunitarios se convertirán en centros de oportunidades – ejes de los vecindarios, que pueden brindarles a sus residentes ayuda y acceso a asistencia y beneficios financieros y de vivienda, además de servicios para la tercera edad, acceso a la alimentación, cuidado en salud, educación para el bienestar y programación para jóvenes, así como capacitación y desarrollo de la fuerza laboral. 

El director de Parques, Recreación e Instalaciones Comunitarias, Chris Frelke, dijo acerca de esta inversión: “Esta es la más grande inversión en Parques y Recreación que se haya hecho en varias generaciones y es un acto monumental para darle prioridad a las comunidades de Richmond que han sido ignoradas con más frecuencia”.

El plan también incluye un total de $23.3 millones para planear y enfrentar los desafíos ambientales y climáticos de la ciudad, $8.5 millones de inversión en seguridad pública y $5.9 millones en apoyo financiero. Si desea conocer más detalles, visite la página www.rva.gov/arp.

Mañana lanzaremos la segunda fase de la participación en el plan propuesto, lo que incluye tanto oportunidades digitales como en persona para que el público dé su opinión.

El alcalde ha puesto la meta de aprobar el plan antes de que finalice octubre, haciendo hincapié en la necesidad de “ponernos a trabajar para continuar mejorando las vidas de nuestros residentes”.

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