Richmond, VA - The City of Richmond is inviting residents to take part in a series of Budget Town Halls, providing a forum for shared community input on Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget priorities and an opportunity to better understand how the City's budget is developed and executed.

The town halls, which will be held in neighborhoods and community centers across the City, will include representatives from City departments and will feature engaging, interactive sessions to walk residents through the budget process, including how revenues are allocated, how funding decisions are made, and how community input will be considered and incorporated into the proposed budget.

"We want Richmonders to feel welcomed, informed, and comfortable engaging in open conversation about the City's budget," said Mayor Danny Avula. "These town halls are about walking through how the budget process works, answering questions, and creating space for residents to share their thoughts and ideas."

The City's annual budget supports core services and investments, including public safety, housing, infrastructure, schools, parks, neighborhoods services, and more over a fiscal year period (July 1 - June 30). Every March, the Mayor is required to submit a budget proposal to City Council for consideration. The proposal aligns funding with administrative and Council priorities and once approved by City Council, allows the City to execute funds against those priorities.

"Together, as taxpayers and as administrators, we own, operate, use, and benefit from these services on a daily basis," said Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald II. "Our goal is to make this process transparent, accessible, and fun so that Richmonders can participate in a variety of formats. The sessions are as much about listening as they are explaining; by simulating the full process for all to understand, we can open the floor to more productive and impactful dialogue about how taxpayer dollars can and should be spent."

The full town hall schedule is included below. Please note that registration is required for participation. Links to register will be added to go.rva.gov/engage and posted to the City's social media channels as they become available. Those interested in the Jan. 20 event may register here.

Members of the media who are interested in joining should email [email protected]

Town Hall Schedule

These events will range in capacity based on location. Residents who are unable to attend in person are encouraged to attend the virtual town hall session or complete an online survey, to be made public on January 20.

Additional information about the town halls and the City's FY27 budget process will be made available at go.rva.gov/engage.

Media RSVPs: [email protected]

RICHMOND, Va. - The inauguration of Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger will be held at noon on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Capitol Square. Multiple streets in and around the Capitol complex will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. to support the event. Roadways will begin reopening at approximately 4 p.m.

The following street closures will be in effect:

Beginning at 7:00 a.m.

• N. 9th Street between Main and Broad Streets
• Grace Street between 8th and 9th Streets
• Bank Street between 9th and 12th Streets

Beginning at 8:30 a.m.

• Eastbound Broad Street between 9th and 14th Streets 

Closed to all but event traffic beginning at 8:30 a.m.

• Eastbound Broad Street between 7th and 9th Streets
• N. 14th Street between Broad and Main Streets

Beginning at 12:30 p.m.

• N. 8th Street between Broad and Grace Streets

Sound Advisory

The public should also expect loud blasts on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at approximately 12:31 p.m. around Richmond's Capitol Square and downtown area. Members of the Virginia Army National Guard will conduct a howitzer cannon fire and artillery salute, and members of the Virginia Air National Guard will conduct a miliary aircraft flyover as a scheduled part of the inauguration ceremony. There is no risk to public safety. 

For more information on the inauguration, visit www.spanbergerinauguration.com.

The City of Richmond will be closed Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. All city offices, including City Hall, will be closed. We will return to our regular business hours on Tuesday, January 20. Keep reading for information about City service schedules during the holiday weekend.

"A day on, not a day off": While City offices are closed, City staff and partners are involved in a range of service activities on MLK Day. For information about getting involved with City volunteer projects, please visit cfengage.org.

• There will be no trash collection or bulk and brush collection on Monday, January 19. All collections will be delayed by one day. Collections scheduled for pick-up on Monday will be picked up on Tuesday and so on through Friday, January 23.
• The East Richmond Road Convenience Center (ERRCC) Landfill, located at 3800 East Richmond Road, will be open on Saturday, January 17, and will be closed on Monday, January 19. ERRCC will reopen on Tuesday, January 20.
• Recycling services will operate as normal on Monday, January 19.
• All Richmond Public Libraries are closed on Monday, January 19, and will reopen on Tuesday, January 20.
• RVA311 will be open Saturday, January 17, and will be closed on January 19. The public will have 24/7 access to self-service via RVA311.com and mobile apps.
• Richmond Public Schools are closed for students on January 14 for the end of the semester, and then both Richmond Public Schools and offices are closed on January 19. They will reopen on Tuesday, January 20.
• Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities: All offices and community centers are closed Monday, January 19.
• Department of Public Utilities: DPU Call Center is closed Monday, January 19. For utility emergencies, customers should call 804-646-4646 and press Option 1. For gas leaks, leave the area and call 911.
• Richmond Animal Care and Control will be closed on Monday, January 19. RACC will reopen by appointment only on Tuesday, January 20, and will have regular walk-in hours on Wednesday, January 21.

Richmond, VA - The City of Richmond has issued a temporary pause in the RVA Stay Gap Grant Program, effective Jan. 1, 2026, in order to make improvements aimed at strengthening program administration and improving efficiency so that financial assistance can be delivered more quickly and effectively to Richmond homeowners and renters experiencing financial hardship.

"The core mission of the program, to provide critical housing stability support for residents in need, will remain unchanged," said Director of Finance Letitia Shelton. "This pause allows us to improve how the program operates so we can better serve applicants and ensure funds are reaching those who need them most."

In a memo sent to the Finance and Economic Development Committee earlier today, Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald II outlined some of the challenges faced in implementing the program, including limited staffing, incomplete submissions, and manual processing constraints.

"Simply put, this pause was not communicated clearly to Richmonders in need," he said. "The best apology is often corrected behavior. The singular focus of the administration is to strengthen program delivery and accountability so that, when the program returns, it is positioned to better meet the urgent needs of our residents."

Among the initial recommendations levied in the memo is one calling for outside support in the program's administration. "Although this program is an important and much needed service to the Richmond community," the memo reads, "it is not a core function for the Department of Finance. Securing the services of an outside vendor would drastically improve the service and free up Finance staff to focus on core services."

The City will continue to review and process applications that were received on or before December 31. Applicants who submitted materials by that date do not need to take any additional action at this time and payments to those qualified will continue.

At the conclusion of the review period, the Department of Finance will announce next steps on the program's reintroduction. Residents are encouraged to monitor the City's website and social media channels for the latest information.

About the RVA Stay Gap Grant Program

Introduced at the end of 2024 for a 2025 rollout, the RVA Stay Gap Grant Program is a first-come, first-serve housing relief program that offers a one-time payment of $1200 for rental or mortgage payment assistance to qualifying applicants. This program is jointly operated by the Department of Finance and the Department of Social Services to provide financial assistance that helps fill the gap for low-income households in the City of Richmond.

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More homes for more people, more ways to stay

Richmond, VA - On January 13, Mayor Danny Avula announced a comprehensive plan that refines and strengthens the City's existing tools to tackle Richmond's housing supply and affordability crisis through a two-pronged approach: increasing the supply of homes across the city and implementing anti-displacement measures to help residents stay in their homes.

The plan reflects the Mayor's "Look for it, Find it, Fix it" commitment to operational excellence, applying his Thriving City Hall pillar to improve how Richmond's proven housing programs work in practice.

"Housing is the foundation of opportunity in Richmond," said Mayor Danny Avula. "Richmond has affordable housing programs and tools on the books, but too often, residents haven't felt the benefit. That's an execution problem, and it's on us to finally fix that. By making our funding more predictable, streamlining our processes, and refining how our anti-displacement programs operate, we're building a Richmond where everyone has a place to call home. A Thriving City Hall that executes well is how we deliver Thriving Neighborhoods."

The plan focuses on four key strategies that refine and strengthen Richmond's existing housing work.

1. Establish predictable City funding for the construction and preservation of affordable housing.

In Fiscal Year 2027, Mayor Avula's administration expects to invest at least $13.4 million in City funds towards the creation and preservation of approximately 1,000 affordable homes.

The Mayor is committed to directing $10 million of these funds annually to be overseen by the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Oversight Board, with substantial additional investments in affordable housing through performance grants and other programs. To enforce this commitment, the Administration recommends revising the existing AHTF ordinance and adopting the Mayor's proposed, legally-binding AHTF ordinance to improve the consistency and predictability of funding.

"Right now, complicated limits on how the City can create and use funding for affordable housing initiatives create uncertainty," Mayor Danny Avula explained. "We're not inventing new programs-we're making our existing funding commitments clearer and more consistent so partners can count on our support and residents know we're getting the most out of their tax dollars."

2. Update the zoning code to increase the housing supply and to streamline permitting and approval processes.

Updating the City's zoning code by passing Code Refresh will allow for the production of over 30,000 new homes, a scale that would address even the city's most significant growth scenarios. The code update has been in development, and the Mayor is committed to bringing it across the finish line.

Mayor Avula will introduce a final draft of the Code Refresh later this year, creating conditions that improve housing choice and prioritizes transit-oriented development to better connect residents with goods, services, and relationships they need.

"The housing affordability and supply crisis will continue into the future as Richmond's population continues to grow," Mayor Danny Avula said. "Code Refresh represents years of work and community input. I could not be more excited to prepare Richmond for the future by streamlining the construction of new homes through thoughtful increases in density that respect existing neighborhoods."

3. Commit to collaborative public housing redevelopment by holding RHHA accountable and centering residents.

The City will strengthen its existing relationship with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority and formalize that partnership with a signed Memorandum of Agreement that outlines shared goals and common vision for housing redevelopment efforts. The MOA will clarify roles, responsibilities, and expectations to ensure more effective collaboration.

Mayor Danny Avula will continue to demand resident-centered redevelopment and 1:1 replacement of deeply affordable, subsidized housing units, ensuring the City has a seat at every table.

"Redevelopment of public housing is one of the best ways the City can address the housing affordability crisis for Richmonders with the lowest incomes," Mayor Danny Avula said. "We're not starting from scratch-we're formalizing and strengthening our working relationship with RRHA to make sure redevelopment is effective, sustainable, and truly centered on the residents it serves."

4. Deliver on anti-displacement by improving administration of our existing programs.

Richmond already runs more than 20 different programs dedicated to keeping residents in their homes-from eviction diversion programs and right-to-counsel grants to real estate tax exemptions and home rehabilitation assistance. The focus now is on making these programs work better for Richmonders.

Mayor Danny Avula will support Councilmember Robertson's resolution calling for a cross-departmental inventory of all anti-displacement programs and efforts, as well as an assessment of inputs, outputs, and outcomes from each program. This inventory will identify where programs need operational improvements to serve residents more effectively. The administration will strengthen meaningful anti-displacement tools, including owner-occupied home repair and rehabilitation programs, crisis response funds, and real estate tax exemptions and deferrals for older adults and persons with disabilities.

"We have creative, proven anti-displacement programs-what we need is to make them operate more efficiently," said Mayor Danny Avula. "This is exactly what 'Look For It, Find It, and Fix It' means in practice. We're refining the nuts and bolts of these programs to get support to residents who need it, faster and more effectively."