Wednesday, May 21, 2025

An Interim CAO and Interim DCAO of Finance and Administration will be appointed in the coming weeks.

Richmond, VA — Today, Interim Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Sabrina Joy-Hogg announced that she will resign from the City of Richmond effective June 6. An Interim CAO and Interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) of Finance & Administration will be appointed in the coming weeks. The national search for a permanent CAO is in the final stage with the candidate soon to be announced.

Joy-Hogg joined the City of Richmond in 2022 and led the work toward achieving the City's first-ever AAA bond rating. She leaves a legacy that include many improvements toward making Richmond an employer of choice, particularly the Marathon Health clinic which provides easy-to-access—and often free—health services to City staff. Her experience in municipal governments in Hampton, Norfolk, and Charlotte have been a great asset in the City's budgetary processes.

"As I prepare to close this chapter, I do so with immense pride in what we've achieved together. From raising the City's minimum wage and successfully transitioning to the Virginia Retirement System, to creating a $10 million capital improvement fund, and developing a bond strategy to expand affordable housing, we've made lasting improvements. We made history by recognizing International Women's Day as a City holiday—the first in the nation to do so. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I leave with deep gratitude and full confidence in the extraordinary path ahead," said Interim CAO Sabrina Joy-Hogg.

"Sabrina's dedication to achieving a balanced budget and her institutional knowledge were a tremendous help in the early months of my administration. I'm thankful for her dedication over these past five months and wish her continued success in her new role," said Mayor Danny Avula.

On May 21, 2025, the Trust for Public Lands released their fourteenth Park Score Index for park districts across the country. In the 2024 national index of America’s 100 most populous cities, the City of Richmond now ranks #16 in access to high quality park spaces, up from #22 in 2023.

This annual report measures park systems on access, investment, amenities, acreage, and equity. For the 2024 Park Score Index, Richmond scored 69.9 points out of 100 based on the five categories, with 15 measures where points can be awarded. The updated ranking is a 6-point move from 2023 and is 26 points higher than the 2018 score.  Richmond’s increase in the park access and resources is a result of intersecting objectives: 

1. Increased investment that looked at the aggregate parks and recreation spending, including volunteer hours. In 2023, the City spent $135 per capita versus the $186 per capita that the City spent in 2024.
2. Increased city-wide amenities which includes basketball courts, sports fields, splash pads, and playgrounds.

“Our parks are more than just green spaces — they’re where we reimagine what Richmond can be,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “They come to life through the hard work of City staff and the deep commitment of community partners who are creating spaces for belonging, health, and joy. As we celebrate this ranking, we’re really celebrating the people who show up every day to make our parks places where Richmond’s story is written — together.”

Richmond saw the largest increase in points in the Amenities category earning 92 out of 100 points, an increase of 45 points from the 2023 score. The city also has increased the per capita spending for Parks and Recreation from $135 per resident to $186 per resident as calculated on a three-year average.

“Richmond’s park score reflects the incredible progress we’ve made in making our city one of the best places to live, play, and connect,” said Chris Frelke, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “This achievement is the result of strong leadership from the Administration and City Council — and it wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing support of our community partners, residents, and the dedicated PRCF team who work every day to make our parks welcoming and vibrant for everyone.”

To read the entire report, please visit the Trust for Public Land website. For more information about the department, follow PRCF on Facebook, X and Instagram or visit our website.

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Richmond, VA — As of May 20, 2025, the City of Richmond Department of Finance is still actively working to send real estate tax bills to mortgage lenders. Once lenders receive the bill, they will typically remit payment to the City of Richmond within one business week.

What do I do with my 2025 Second Half Real Estate Tax Bill?

If you typically get a real estate tax bill in the mail and...

• I haven't paid the bill: Pay your bill as normal by the June 16, 2025 due date.
• I already paid the bill: Nothing. You may keep the bill for your records.

If you typically do NOT get a real estate tax bill in the mail and...

• I haven't paid the bill: Nothing. It may take a few weeks for the lender to pay the bill on your behalf. You can call your lender to verify.
• I already paid the bill: The Department of Finance will credit your account. If your lender also pays this year's bill, you can request a refund by calling 311.

Earlier this month, the City's Department of Finance issued "2025 Second Half Real Estate Tax Bills" to residents. These bills accurately reflect amounts owed. However, for taxpayers with mortgages, these bills are typically sent to their lenders, who then pay the taxes on their behalf. The City has not had a practice of sending duplicate copies.

Due to errors in the Department's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), approximately 33,000 lender-designated bills were sent to residents rather than to lenders, causing confusion for many.

"I have directed the Department of Finance to revise its SOPs and am personally spending time with staff inside the Department of Finance to understand the breakdowns that occurred," said Mayor Danny Avula. "In addition, I plan to bring in an expert to support change management and improve communication to prevent this type of issue from happening again. Taxpayers were confused and frustrated, and I am committed to finding and fixing the problems within City Hall."

Posted May 19, 2025

~ Honoring the People and Projects that Keep Richmond Running ~

RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is proud to join communities across the country in celebrating National Public Works Week (NPWW) from May 19 – 23, 2025. This year’s theme, “People, Purpose, Presence,” honors the dedicated professionals whose work supports our daily lives and strengthens communities through public infrastructure and essential services.

Richmond is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States – a recognition that underscores the city’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and public service.

Throughout the week, DPW will highlight the crucial role its teams play in building a better Richmond – from engineers and traffic technicians to maintaining roads and bridges to refuse collection, DPW employees embody the values of people-centered service, purposeful work, and reliable presence in every Richmond neighborhood.

Celebration highlights:

• Proclamation recognizing NPWW

• Literature Display: City Hall lobby | May 19 through May 23 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (daily) | 900 East Broad Street

• DPW Touch-A-Truck Event: Wednesday, May 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. |Main Street Station (back lot)
  
  • Elementary school students have been invited to get a hand-on with DPW vehicles and meet the teams behind them, and explore how public works impacts their lives

• DPW Employee Awards Ceremony & Luncheon: Thursday, May 22 | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  
  • A private, employee-only event recognizing outstanding service, employee and team awards, and commitment among DPW staff

• Speed Management Symposium: Thursday, May 22 | 4 – 6 p.m. |Main Street Station, 1500 East Main Street | Free |Dinner | Open to the Public
  
  • Join us and learn about Richmond’s efforts to create safer streets at this community-focused event.

• • • What to Expect:
    • Dynamic Presentations: Vision Zero, Richmond Connects, roadway safety projects, and Richmond Police insights
    • Info Booths: Connect with various city departments and non-profits, Richmond Police, VDOT, Bike Walk RVA, and more
    • Q&A Session: Ask away!
    • Heavy Refreshments: RSVP recommended at www.rva.gov/public-works/symposium

• Live Music at Main Street Station: Thursday, May 22 | 6 – 8 p.m. at Main Street Station (Patio), 1500 East Main Street | Free | Open to the Public
  
  • Celebrate the spirit of public works with a free outdoor concert on the patio at Main Street Station. Bring family, friends, and lawn chairs for an evening of music, fun, and appreciation.

For more information about DPW, visit rva.gov/public-works or email AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

###

The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 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

Updated: May 20, 2025

I received an unexpected 2025 Second Half Real Estate Tax Bill, what should I do now?

Last week, the City’s Department of Finance issued “2025 Second Half Real Estate Tax Bills” to residents. These bills accurately reflect what taxpayers owe. However, for taxpayers who hold mortgages, these bills are typically sent to the mortgage lender to be paid on their behalf. Last week, that normal process did not happen and several thousand taxpayers were issued their bills directly.

What happened?

While importing new taxpayer data provided by mortgage lenders — a process which occurs twice per year — at least 33,000 taxpayer records failed to import completely. These records lacked the data necessary to link taxpayers to their mortgage lenders which resulted in many residents directly receiving real estate tax bills that typically are sent to lenders.

MUNIS, the system that runs the real estate billing process, was upgraded to a new version mid-cycle this year. The first-half billing, running on the outdated system, ran successfully. The Department of Finance is working with the team from MUNIS to diagnose what happened during the second-half billing process.

The Department of Finance will reimport this data, and, once that is completed, checked, and verified, they will issue real estate tax bill to mortgage lenders.

How will you keep this from happening again?

The Department of Finance team is working with the MUNIS vendor to investigate the root cause of this issue. Once diagnosed, Finance will rollout additional Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and training to all staff involved in the real estate tax billing process. If necessary, technical updates may be applied to the MUNIS system.

New SOPs and review processes will be created for all external communications from the Department of Finance — not just real estate tax billing.

What do I need to do?

Updated: May 20, 2025

If you typically get a real estate tax bill in the mail and...

• I haven't paid the bill: Pay your bill as normal by the June 16, 2025 due date.
• I already paid the bill: Nothing. You may keep the bill for your records.

If you typically do NOT get a real estate tax bill in the mail and...

• I haven't paid the bill: Nothing. It may take a few weeks for the lender to pay the bill on your behalf. You can call your lender to verify.
• I already paid the bill: The Department of Finance will credit your account. If your lender also pays this year's bill, you can request a refund by calling 311.

What if I already paid the bill and then my lender pays the bill, too?

The Department of Finance will credit your account. Taxpayers can request a refund, and you can check your account balance online or by calling 311.

What if I normally get a bill?

If you normally get a bill for real estate tax — most likely because you do not have mortgage lender — you can pay the bill as normal.

What if I don't own the property that I'm getting a bill for?

If you have an online account, log in and cancel your electronic fund transfer. If you need additional assistance, please contact 311.

What if I didn't get a bill?

You should log into your online account, or contact 311 if you need additional assistance.

When are real estate tax bills due?

Real estate tax payments are due to the City of Richmond on June 16. While the Department of Finance anticipates issuing bills to mortgage lenders within the coming days, taxpayers can contact their lender to ensure their bill is successfully paid.

I still have questions, who can I contact?

Individuals with additional questions can call 311 for more information.