Greetings! Thank you for having me. It is really a joy to pay honor and respects to a legend in our Richmond community 

This is a wonderful day to honor a man who gave so much, not only to this congregation but to our entire city.  

Forty‑five years of serving from this pulpit, and also serving Richmond far beyond the pulpit in ways that you all know: Reverand James was a teacher. He was a servant. When he  was not preaching and teaching at Virginia Union University Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, he was supporting the work of the NAACP and the State Baptist Convention.  

He had a huge heart for justice. He made time to serve on the state parole board, and he was a chaplain at the former Spring Street State Penitentiary -- the first African American to serve in that counselor role.  

He cared deeply about equality—always on the leading edge—fighting for women’s leadership in the church. And now we see the amazing women that are serving all across Trinity. 

He led the church in the deep work of mercy ,  He opened the doors of this place to the unhoused, allowing Trinity to be a hub, early on for Caritas, years before we had a permanent one on the Southside. He was one of the first leaders to step forward and open the door to say, “We need to be able to serve this community.” 

He believed in creating community. As you all know the value of the Trinity Family Life Center, just a few miles from here. For years, that place served as a village to so many people in the city—whether it was sports, programming, or food provision.  

That was actually my connection - when I was working in the health department, we were doing a lot of work with Trinity at the time.  That was a time when we were able to support some of the family strengthening, the fatherhood work. And Trinity again was just on the leading edge—partnering with the government and caring well for the residents of our community. 

That lives deeply into my own story here in Richmond but has touched touching thousands of people.  

He, through all these things, embodied what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ. There are countless people in our community who are better as a result of it.  

He also believed in the importance of civic engagement. He was a mentor, a supporter to so many up‑and‑coming young political leaders—and caried on a long legacy of the important influence among Black pastors in our political process. And I think his influenced pushed those of us in politics to remember that this wasn’t about the glory, this wasn’t about the media, this wasn’t about the stature. But it was really about the moral obligation we have to do what is right—and to make decisions for the sake of the people that we are committed to serve. For the sake of young people and families who want a better life. For the sake of those who are on the margins and often not heard, but who are central to our city and central to the gospel that was the light of Reverend James’s life. And so I can think of very few people in Richmond who more deserving of this honor of naming a street after him. I’m so thankful we have the opportunity to do this. Blessings.  

Project to bring residential opportunity to Church Hill North neighborhood 

Richmond, VA  — The City of Richmond is seeking qualified development partners for the redevelopment of 2503 Q Street , located in the Church Hill North neighborhood. The site, which fronts on North 25th Street and extends through the block to North 26th Street, is the former First Precinct of Richmond Police Department, which the City occupied for nearly 40 years before relocating in April of this year. 

The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is step one in a two-step RFQ-to-RFP (Request for Proposals) solicitation process from which the City’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) will identify one or more development partners capable of delivering a high-quality, income-diverse residential development that is consistent with the City’s affordable housing and community development goals. Those selected development partners will be invited to participate in a follow-up RFP process. 

“This site is filled with promise,” said HCD Director Merrick Malone . “It is ideally located along the 25th St. corridor; near bus lines, the East End Library, and the Market at 25th, to name a few. But it’s also an opportunity to catalyze additional development which will significantly contribute to the economic revitalization of this corridor and the broader Church Hill community.” 

This RFQ is the latest is the City’s effort to transform underutilized, City-owned properties into the affordable and mixed-income housing. Just last week, the City announced that it had selected a preferred development partner  for the redevelopment of 212 N. 18th St. in Shockoe Bottom.  

“Where we can use underperforming City-owned assets to advance the common good, especially as it relates to housing, we should,” said Mayor Danny Avula . “Our team knows that combating our housing crisis takes a bias for action and knows to seize on these opportunities when they arise. I am pleased to get this RFQ out the door and am eager to see proposals which provide maximum value to the community and its residents.” 

Although no site plan has been prescribed for the project, to meet affordability goals, the City is requiring that at least 20% of the housing units developed on site be affordable to households earning up to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Commercial or complementary uses may be incorporated into any proposed site plan. Additional details as well as the evaluation criteria, including firm experience and development approach, can be found in the full RFQ . 

HCD will host a pre-response conference on October 13th at 10:00 a.m.  to discuss the project and answer clarifying questions. Please email hcd.development@rva.gov if you are interested in participating. 

The RFQ will close on November 20, 2026 . 

Good afternoon President Newbille, Vice President Jordan, and Honorable Members of Council. 

Thanks so much for the opportunity to be here with you today. A couple of weeks ago, we kicked off the budget process together. 

There, we emphasized our shared desire to continue building on and improving the collaborative process we started at the very beginning of our time together back in January 2025.   

Since that time, we’ve been continuously looking at our budget process: what’s working, what we can improve, and how we can make better decisions together for the residents of Richmond.   

I want to thank our City Assessor, Richie McKeithen, CAO Donald, and PFM, as well as the incredible work of our Finance and Budget Teams, for helping lay the groundwork for this conversation.  

Last year, I asked our teams to develop stronger revenue forecasting tools for three key reasons:  

First, we need good information to be able to put our fingers on the financial trends and make the best decisions that we can.    

Second, the budget is fundamentally a partnership between the Administration and Council. That partnership is stronger when we are all working from the same set of facts.  

Third, we’ve got to be able to look beyond a single budget year so that the conversations we are having, and ultimately the decisions we are making, support the city’s long-term financial health.    

Today is a next step: we’re bringing more clarity to the process by sharing our revenue forecasts and laying out some of the significant drivers and decisions that are before us.     

What we’ve heard today is that we are entering a different fiscal environment.    

The tax assessor’s presentation laid out the timeline and impacts of the new assessment calendar, and laid out a revenue projection that was much lower than I, and I imagine many of you, were expecting when we were considering 18 months of presumed growth.  

As a city, we face operational realities such as debt service obligations, personnel and benefit costs, and the need to prioritize our workforce as we continue to compete with surrounding local and state government, as well as the private sector.  

This is all happening against the backdrop of a federal government that is creating volatility for local government funding, and leaving more and more for us to solve on our own.  

As we navigate those realities, I want to be clear about the commitments I am bringing into this budget process: honoring our workforce, pursuing economic development, keeping families safe and thriving, and improving service delivery remain some of my most important priorities.  

Our goal in sharing this information is simple - to help all of us – the administration, Council, and the public, have a clearer picture of our fiscal outlook as we head into budget season.   

My hope is that this shared understanding will help us craft a budget that balances our priorities and needs, while protecting the city’s long-term fiscal health.   

In closing, there are real challenges and real opportunities ahead-- and it means our partnership and our shared understanding of our financial realities are more important than ever.  

I am looking forward to your discussion today, and the questions it raises for you, and to ongoing conversations as we embark on the FY28 budget making process together.   

Thank you for your service. 

Oct. 4-10. marks National Fire Prevention Week, the nation’s oldest public health observance, sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association. Richmond Fire Department is joining the observance by asking residents to make fire safety a priority at home and in the community. 

Many house fires are preventable, but fire can still touch any home. Richmond has had seven fire fatalities in the last two years, and behind each number is a family and a neighborhood that was changed forever. 

“We grieve every life lost to fires in our city, and we owe it to them to do everything we can to prevent the next one,” said Richmond Fire Chief Jeffrey Segal. “Fire Prevention is a daily practice, whether it’s testing a smoke alarm or making sure residents know how to safely heat their homes, our job is to be out in the community, educating our residents and making sure they have the resources they need to protect themselves and their families.” 

This year’s theme for Fire Prevention Week is “Charge into Safety,” focusing on every day charging habits that can help reduce the risk of lithium-ion battery fires. Some best practices include: 

• Using the cord and charger that came with the device or one approved by the manufacturer. 
• Always charge devices on a hard, flat surface. 
• Unplugging devices once they are fully charged 
• Charge large items such as e-bikes, scooters, and power tools outside when possible. Do not block exits when charging. 
• Stop using devices that are very hot, start to swell, smells strange, leaks, smokes, or makes popping or hissing sound. 

Throughout Fire Prevention Week, Richmond Fire Department will be out in the community with events and educational activities for residents of all ages. To learn more about Fire Prevention Week, visit  www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week.