In a memorandum delivered to City Council on Monday, Richmond’s Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald II provided a performance update to City Council on the RVA Pay Gap grant program . The program, which provides income-based housing grants to qualifying Richmonders, was paused in January to give staff additional time to process program applications and to reevaluate the program’s administration with an eye towards efficiency and the timely delivery of financial assistance.

“Director Shelton and our Finance team has been working in overdrive these past two months to clear the backlog in Gap Grant applications,” said Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Tanikia Jackson “Doing so gives us the space and time to now focus on more permanent solutions to improved program delivery and to focus on delivering core services.”

“Between January and March 2026,” the memo reads, “staff have processed 1,802 backlog applications resulting in an average of 29 daily or 100 to 145 applications per week for approximately twelve (12) weeks.”

Of the 3,931 applications received since the program's inception, the memo details:

• 53% were received without the required documentation
• 32% were denied because:
  • The applicants were non-residents;
  • They were already receiving public assistance;
  • They did not meet the low-income threshold;
  • Their housing cost was equal to or greater than 30% of household income

In that same January to March time frame, the City distributed an additional $388,800 to residents in need, bringing the total program distribution to $732,000 across more than 600 applicants.

“We are committed to delivering dependable services to Richmonders. Hitting our internal goal to clear this Gap Grant backlog is a key step in reaching that standard” said CAO Donald . “We remain laser focused on best-in-class service delivery for all   programming, and we’re seeing step-by-step improvement in Finance: highlighted by progress on the Gap Grant, to our recent unmodified audit opinion with the ACFR, and the historic resolution of audit recommendations in coordination with the City Auditor.”

As a next step, CAO Donald is recommending that the City reappropriate the Gap Grant program’s unobligated funds to a third-party, non-profit vendor which can oversee the administration of the program and further allow Finance staff to focus on the delivery of core services.

The reallocation of $3,168,000.00 in unobligated funds to a nonprofit organization is just one of several next steps proposed in the memo. The others include: a repeal and replacement of existing legislation to improve program design and implementation, community outreach planning, and the consolidation and documentation of lessons learned so that they may be incorporated into program delivery.

“Clearing the backlog, as committed, is step one,” the memo says. “Next, aligning the resources that have been allocated to the appropriate service delivery is poised to support Richmonders in need, as originally intended by the enabling legislation.”

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.

The City of Richmond will be closed Friday, April 3, in observance of the spring holiday. All city offices, including City Hall, will be closed. We will return to our regular business hours on Monday, April 6.   

For the full city holiday calendar, please visit the Holiday Closings page.   

• There will be no trash collection or bulk and brush collection on Friday, April 3.  Operations will resume regular schedules on Monday, April 6. 
• The East Richmond Road Convenience Center (ERRCC) Landfill, located at 3800 East Richmond Road, will be closed on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4. ERRCC will reopen on Monday, April 6. 
• Recycling services will operate as normal on Friday, April 3. For more information, visit cvwma.com.  
• All Richmond Public Libraries are closed on Friday, April 3 and Sunday, April 5. Libraries will be open for normal business hours on Saturday, April 4.
• RVA311 will be closed on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4. The public will have 24/7 access to self-service via RVA311.com and mobile apps.
• Richmond Public Schools are closed beginning Wednesday, April 1. They will reopen on Monday, April 6. (Note that this is a change based on weather-related closures). RPS offices will be closed on Friday, April 3.
• All Parks and Recreation offices and community centers are closed Friday, April 3.  
• The Department of Public Utilities Call Center is closed Friday, April 3. 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 is open and running a holiday adoption special on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4! 

Actions will strengthen transparency, modernize systems, and ensure policies are practical and implementable    

On March 26, Mayor Avula announced a series of actions aimed at improving how the City delivers payment registry data, as required under City Code §12-16. This effort is part of a broader initiative to address long-standing operational challenges within City government, especially the Finance Department, and ensure that the City’s commitment to transparency is supported by reliable systems and processes. 

The current reporting requirement, adopted in 2015, has not functioned as intended. In response, the Administration is applying its “look for it, find it, fix it” approach to conduct a review of the ordinance, including internal workflows, staff training, and technology needs. The goal is to close the gap between the policy’s goal and its day-to-day implementation. 

As part of this effort, Mayor Avula announced his intent to introduce an ordinance that will align disclosure requirements with regional practices and state law, as well as update workflows and identify necessary technology improvements to reduce reliance on the labor-intensive manual processes. Development of the ordinance will be carried out in coordination with the departments responsible for implementation to ensure the requirements are practical, efficient, and sustainable. 

Mayor Avula has released a registry of Fiscal Year 2025 payments, which includes financial data such as payment identifiers, dates, amounts, fund codes, cost centers, account codes, payment methods, and disbursement types. This step represents a meaningful move toward improved transparency while longer-term system enhancements are underway. 

“Good policy only works if it can be implemented,” said  Mayor Danny Avula . “We’re taking a clear-eyed look at what hasn’t been working, fixing the gaps, and putting in place processes that consistently deliver accurate, accessible information to the public.”

The release of payment information, and effort to update the ordinance and workflows, aligns with the Chief Administrative Officer’s 100 Day Report, including its Technology Modernization Roadmap. It also reflects the Administration’s broader commitment to strengthening collaboration with City Council to ensure policies are fully implementable. 

The effort builds on recent actions to modernize City operations and improve accountability, including the launch of TechDesk, updates to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, passage of FOIA Library legislation, and enhancements to the RVA Business Portal. 

The Richmond City Electoral Board will hold an emergency public meeting with the following details:

Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: 2134 W. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23227

This notice is being provided to alert the public that an Electoral Board meeting is scheduled. The agenda for this meeting will be posted once it has been reviewed and approved by the Electoral Board.

Please note that the agenda is subject to change. Items may be added, removed, or modified prior to or during the meeting, as permitted by law.

This meeting will be recorded.

Additional updates related to meeting logistics will be communicated as necessary.

Meeting Agenda - 03/27/26

For questions regarding this meeting, please email us at electoral.board@rva.gov.

Edited on 3/27/26 at 8:45 a.m.

The Richmond Fire Department is celebrating a significant milestone after one of its newly constructed stations was selected as the 2026 winner for the American Public Works Association (APWA) Project of the Year Award. 

Fire Station 12, the city’s oldest operating station, reopened last year after 1.6 years of construction. The redevelopment involved the complete demolition of the previous structure and construction of a modern, highly functional fire station on the same historic site.  

Sustainability was at the forefront of Station 12’s redevelopment, designing a fire station with both present needs and long-term performance in mind. From the earliest design phase, the project focused on the important foundational aspects of energy and water conservation, as well as creating healthier indoor environments.  

“Earning this recognition is a significant milestone for our department,” said Richmond Fire Chief Jeffrey Segal. “Our job is to protect people, including our firefighters, and Station 12 reflects that. It’s safer, healthier, and built for the future.” 

Advanced ventilation systems to help improve indoor air quality, specialized exhaust systems in the apparatus bay to help reduce firefighters’ exposure to harmful contaminants, and living and working areas designed to limit the spread of pollutants from equipment were some of the key features incorporated into the design of the station. The contractor for the project also took extra steps to protect nearby storm drains and recycle as much demolition waste as possible during construction. 

“A lot of work goes into a project like this that people don’t always see,” said Gail Johnson, Director of the Department of General Services. “That includes the work led by our project manager, Dexter Goode, and the coordination across teams to bring everything together. The redevelopment of Station 12 shows what’s possible when sustainability is built in from the very start.” 

These efforts helped Fire Station 12 earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, a nationally recognized sustainability designation from the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) rating system. This is the first time the City of Richmond has received a gold designation.  

“RVAgreen 2050 is about how we reduce our environmental impact and build a more resilient city over time,” said Laura Thomas, Director of the Office of Sustainability. “Projects like this are where those goals start to take shape in a real, tangible way, and we’re proud to see that reflected in a facility that supports our fire department.”