Stephanie Lynch

Environment

Visitation to parks and green spaces has increased since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, but access to them is inequitable. How will you approach funding and implementation of the James River Park System Master Plan and the creation of parks and greenspaces in communities that currently have poor access?

We need to start by properly funding our Parks and Recreation Department. We are underfunding parks by at least 30% relative to other localities, and proper funding would entail more access to after school programming, outreach efforts, and extended hours and access for all 5th District residents. We also need to fully partner with some of our incredible community organizations such as Tricycle Gardens, the Food Justice Alliance, and others to ensure that neighborhoods in the 5th, particularly south of the river, are given access to urban ag and fresh produce. As I address later on, our tree coverage in Richmond is another critical element to equitable access to green spaces. Not only does increased tree coverage abate runoff and erosion, but it also combats the urban heat island problem that is detrimental to resident’s health, and is concentrated in our poorest neighborhoods. I would call to fully fund the Urban Forestry Division, reinstate and empower the Tree Commission, and partner with philanthropic and community organizations to bring more attention and resources to tree canopy implementation and maintenance. I support the initiative to connect Ancarrow’s Landing, Gillies Creek Park, and Chimborazo Park park to create a continuous green space in the east end. The popularity of Belle Isle and Brown’s Island highlight how much our park system is missing out on with Mayo’s Island serving as a surface parking lot, and I support re-acquiring it and other islands in the James River for incorporation into the James River Park system. The lack of James River Park connectivity on southside inhibits the ability of Southside residents to enjoy the riverfront, and the city should investigate incorporating the Manchester floodwall into the park system and/or acquiring land from CSX and Norfolk Southern around the railroad tracks on the southside of the river for inclusion in the park. 

We have a fantastic Friends of the James River Park System Association who have a proven track record of engaging the community and planning and fundraising for James River Park System’s top priorities, but they are often handcuffed by some of the dysfunctional mechanics in city government such as procurement and contract management. A recommendation that was made for year 5 in the James River Master Plan is to reconfigure the Friends of the James River Association as an Authority so that they could 1) have greater flexibility and shorter timelines on the execution of projects that would help improve the park; 2) raise more dollars and ultimately purchase more land for public park use and access; 3) adopt and expedite the downtown river development plan. 

Given the increasing magnitude of heavy rain events as a consequence of climate change and the passage of Senate Bill 1064 earlier this year, how will you approach Richmond's combined sewer system and stormwater management in general?

We have to make across the board investments to protect Richmond from the long term effects of climate change, and to address issues such as flooding and sewage discharge that we are facing right now. Our Combined Sewer System is a sleeping giant that rears its head every time we have heavy rains, a phenomenon we’re experiencing more and more frequently with our changing climate. I would be in support of making above and beyond $21 million in investments to address our CSO, and would look at funding mechanisms such as raising our storm water fee in order to bring in matching SLAP dollars from the state and federal government as well. We need to be a vocal presence in the General Assembly to ensure that we receive similar state funding mechanisms made available to localities such as Alexandria to help finance necessary improvements. We also need to be making an investment in proactive and green development, focusing on implementing permeable surfaces wherever possible to reduce run off. Our tree coverage in Richmond is another critical element to the larger environmental picture, and in terms of addressing our flooding and stormwater problems. Not only does increased tree coverage abate runoff and erosion, but it also combats the urban heat island problem that is detrimental to resident’s health, and is concentrated in our poorest neighborhoods. I would call to fully fund the Urban Forestry Division, reinstate and empower the Tree Commission, and partner with philanthropic and community organizations to bring more attention and resources to tree canopy implementation and maintenance.

Richmond's formerly redlined neighborhoods - neighborhoods that continue to be predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods - experience disproportionate climate impacts. These neighborhoods see surface temperatures nearly 5 degrees hotter during the summer. They have 36% less tree canopy and have poorer air quality due to their proximity to highways. All of these factors contribute to higher instances of asthma and heat-related illness. What policies would you support to encourage climate resiliency and reduce urban heat island effects? How will you ensure funding for these proposals?

Tree coverage in Richmond is a critical element to the larger environmental picture, and in terms of addressing our flooding and stormwater problems. Not only does increased tree coverage abate runoff and erosion, but it also combats the urban heat island problem that is detrimental to resident’s health, and is concentrated in our poorest neighborhoods. I would call to fully fund the Urban Forestry Division, reinstate and empower the Tree Commission, and partner with philanthropic and community organizations to bring more attention and resources to tree canopy implementation and maintenance. Our existing tree stewards program needs to be fully supported, and I have worked extensively with the volunteers that make that program what it is in the 5th District. 

City Council recently adopted the Net Zero Resolution (2020-R024) which updated the City's carbon reduction commitment from 80% by 2050 to 100%. Emissions from transportation and gas utilities are a major barrier to achieving this goal. What specific steps will you support in fulfilling this commitment and how will you support the Office of Sustainability's efforts to reduce emissions?

I fully believe in both the necessity and possibility of making Richmond a green city. I am working to support the RVAgreen2050 plan currently under development and want to ensure that the finalized plan holistically addresses both climate change and climate equity. I am looking to ensure that the city’s climate action plan includes measures to ensure sustainable street design and green infrastructure, replace combined sewage system infrastructure with MS4 infrastructure, expand mass transit and walking/biking infrastructure, and ensure that climate action benefits all residents and neighborhoods. I support a review of Richmond’s current natural gas policies, along with a study of the environmental impact of our current gas network and feasibility of replacing natural gas with alternative energy sources over the next ten years.

Energy efficiency presents a highly cost-effective way to work towards Richmond's emissions reduction goals. What specific steps will you take to support energy efficiency in city infrastructure and buildings? Will you support updating energy efficiency standards across the City?

I fully support the climate change mitigation goals of the RVAgreen2050 initiative, the city-wide plan currently being developed to dramatically reduce Richmond’s greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. I am committed to working with the Administration, the city Sustainability Manager, residents, and all interest groups to ensure that the plan is comprehensive in addressing our contribution to global climate change and proactive in pursuing climate equity. We need to invest in the CPACE (Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy) program to further assist businesses in improving efficiency and adding solar to their buildings, encourage more dense development to encourage more efficient use of land and discourage car usage, move towards an electric fleet of city vehicles, and invest in weatherization and green refurbishment of city owned properties. 

Neighborhoods

Richmond had an eviction crisis before COVID-19 and the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem. To put the looming catastrophe in perspective, consider the following: during July 2020, landlords were awarded an average of $1,787 in each unlawful detainer case. At the time of this writing, there were over 1,200 unlawful detainer cases scheduled to be heard in September. Assuming the average judgment remains roughly the same, this amounts to a total of over $2 million in unpaid rent in September. Not every household facing eviction participates or is eligible for the EDP, nor do they necessarily receive the full 50% of back rent the EDP provides; however, these numbers are illustrative nonetheless. The FY2021 budget allocates $485,000 to the EDP for the entire year. Those funds will be exhausted in roughly two weeks given the current numbers. Will federal and state programs cover this gap? If not, how will you adequately fund this essential program? What additional solutions do you propose to address the coming wave of evictions?

I was the only member of City Council to propose an amendment to the 2020 budget, which shifted an additional $300,000 into eviction mitigation funds to curb housing instability amid the coronavirus pandemic. I also have co-patroned a resolution with Councilwoman Robertson to dedicate $10 million annually to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. As a career social worker, housing stability has been something I’ve worked towards long before joining council. We need to review the regulatory standards for landlords and increase the stock of affordable and public housing in the city. In terms of preserving housing affordability, we first need to ensure that existing resources such as the elderly tax relief program are being fully utilized by our elderly friends and neighbors so that they are able to age in place and in their communities. Second, we need to look seriously at instituting a moratorium on rate increases and assessment hikes for residents that have paid off their homes, or have lived in their homes for a certain period of time.

Lack of affordable housing in Richmond is unfortunately not limited to one demographic or neighborhood, it is an epidemic. Not only do we have a shortage of affordable housing stock, but as detailed in a recent New York Times piece focused on Richmond, we have the 2nd highest eviction rate in the country. We have to address this problem comprehensively, and understand that there are systemic factors that make certain people more susceptible to a lack of affordable housing. Historically redlining, disinvestment, and the displacement of communities of color in our city have led to persistent inequities that manifest today in a lack of quality transit access, poor schools, food deserts, and other factors that exacerbate housing instability. 

We need to work through RRHA to heavily invest in mixed income, small scale development that is integrated into neighborhoods in a way that is sensitive to transportation needs and area employment opportunities. And, I will advocate along with our Council and Administration at the state level to invest in programs such as the recently adopted Pilot Eviction Diversion Program, and continue to push for increased funding for initiatives such as the Virginia Housing Trust Fund.

One of the most rudimentary functions of local government is to provide residents with adequate public facilities. Yet, despite paying the highest property tax rate in the region, flooding is routine on the Southside, in Brookland Park, and across the city. Backyards are falling into eroded and unmaintained alleys in the West End. Where sidewalks do exist, they are often inaccessible to people with mobility challenges. How will you make sure these basic and essential services are fulfilled by City Hall? What will you do differently?

These issues highlight an incredible opportunity to more fully build trust and relationships with our local neighborhood groups, leaders, and individual community members. I have worked closely with neighborhood civic groups across the 5th District to ensure that their local needs are being met by city departments, and have completed several “neighborhood blitz” style volunteer events where residents are engaged to identify needs on a block by block basis and ensure attention is brought to issue of sidewalks, trash, grass maintenance, potholes, and the like. Structurally, we need to fully fund and invest in DPU and DPW to ensure they have the staff and capacity necessary to respond to the infrastructure needs of residents. I will look to implement a Permitting Strike Force to target the permits that have been outstanding the longest period of time, and work towards fully automating the permit process, as has successfully been done in localities like Alexandria. I would also aim to build on the progress Richmond has made with the 311 app to report problems, and make sure that public-facing city services are accessible and navigable. We have made some progress on the front recently with the newly revamped “rva.gov”. The 2017 Performance Review still has a host of unimplemented recommendations that we can pursue going forward, and I plan to recommit to the participatory budgeting structure championed by Councilman Addison that was cut from this year’s budget to ensure that residents have an integrated opportunity for feedback and input into budgeting decision making. 

What kind of policy would you seek to help maintain Richmond’s economic and racial diversity? Are there existing programs that are underutilized, for example the Real Estate Tax Relief Program, that could be leveraged more effectively? Would you support a longtime owner occupant program similar to Philadelphia’s?

There are 3,600 fewer Black homeowners in Richmond today than in 2000. This is a crisis. I hear these exact concerns every day from residents across the District, but particularly from Black and Brown legacy residents on the Southside and in neighborhoods like Maymont and Randolph. Richmond is an absolutely incredible city, and we are attracting thousands of new residents every year, particularly into neighborhoods in the 5th District. This is a good problem to have, but we have to be diligent and holistic in managing the downstream effects of this growth. Fundamentally I think this is an issue that requires a two pronged approach. One, we need to ensure that there is adequate and affordable housing for the residents that are moving in. I’ve already taken action on that front by fighting for additional funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and by incorporating the recommendations from the “Southside Revitalization Task Force” into the Richmond 300 plan to prioritize building more dense housing south of the river in underdeveloped parcels. Going forward, we need to do away with exclusionary zoning in large swaths of the city to allow for more dense, mixed use, and multi unit developments, require more robust “CBAs” or Community Benefit Agreements from private developers to earmark units for affordable housing, and further leverage the Maggie Walker Land Trust to offer affordable homes to families while also adding generating more tax revenue from city owned properties. Second, we have to mitigate the effects of gentrification on existing residents. Just last month, I patroned a resolution to extend the Elderly and Disabled Tax Exemption deadline to October 30th to allow more of our legacy residents time to apply, and we need to continue to fund and support efforts at disseminating information about that program. I’m also working with our state level delegation to pass legislation to allow for localities to offer tax credits for long term/legacy residents to be able to afford to stay in their homes. Unfortunately, the Virginia constitution limits the basis on which a locality can provide tax relief as of right now, so there’s a lot of work to be done in concert with our state representatives. 

Richmond was denser in 1950 than it is today. Increased density cuts housing costs for residents, preserves the City's limited greenspace, and saves the City money on providing essential services. What changes, either administratively or via ordinance, can the City make to help create dense residential development? What steps can Richmond take to entice, encourage, and facilitate additional residential development? How do we ensure a diversity of housing stock that is accessible to Richmonders at all income levels?

I support the recommendations laid out in the city’s new affordable housing plan to ensure that we encourage dense development across Richmond, but particularly along our major transit corridors and along existing/future bus routes. We also need to invest in and pursue the recommendations laid out more generally in the RVA 300 plan. I’ve fought  for additional funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and to incorporate the recommendations from the “Southside Revitalization Task Force” into the Richmond 300 plan to prioritize building more dense housing south of the river in underdeveloped parcels. Going forward, we need to do away with exclusionary zoning in large swaths of the city to allow for more dense, mixed use, and multi unit developments, require more robust “CBAs” or Community Benefit Agreements from private developers to earmark units for affordable housing, and further leverage the Maggie Walker Land Trust to offer affordable homes to families while also adding generating more tax revenue from city owned properties.

While the City of Richmond and the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority (RRHA) are subject to federal regulations and budget allocations, there is nothing preventing the full engagement and partnership between these governing bodies and the residents they serve. Unfortunately, the history of public housing in Richmond is a history of distrust, betrayal, and silencing of public housing residents themselves. Like many cities across the nation, Richmond intentionally built highways to segregate and isolate public housing from the rest of the city, effectively preventing its residents from participation in the city's prosperity. Richmond used Urban Renewal to demolish public housing units without a one-to-one unit replacement which resulted in the physical and emotional destruction of public housing neighborhoods. While this is the history of Richmond's public housing, there is nothing that mandates that it also be the future. If elected, how will you work with public housing residents? How will you ensure that residents get to decide their own collective futures rather than having a government entity decide what is best for them?

Richmond is home to some of the oldest public housing in the nation, and it is in dire need of redevelopment. RRHA is responsible for more than 3,800 public housing units that house our City’s most vulnerable residents, and our approach to redevelopment must fully engage current residents and ensure that they are not displaced during the redevelopment process. I would support a resident input process by which individual residents and families were given the option to accept choice vouchers to relocate themselves and their families with the assistance of step by step counseling and integration of local community supports, or choose to remain in their existing community as the reconstruction of individual units takes place. I would support shifting our current funding source to Section 8, a better funded and supported federal program. I have also called for further funding the Affordable Housing Trust Fund with an additional dedicated $10 million a year, and I would like to additionally further fund initiatives like the Maggie Walker Land Trust and ensure that more homes are set aside for residents in the lower ranges of the AMI.

Public Safety

Many in the City of Richmond have called for the reallocation of funding to support community based public safety response strategies. Do you support allocating funds to support training and resources for resident/community-led efforts in trauma prevention, intervention, and crisis response?

Yes. We need a transformative rebalancing of the institutions in our public safety and criminal justice system. I’ve worked on Council to lift up the incredible work of community activists and reform groups and translate the protests and pain in our communities into policy. I’ve worked with my Council colleagues to introduce the “Marcus Alert” mental health crisis intervention hotline, start the process of creating an empowered Citizen Review Board with oversight capacity of RPD, and curtail RPD use of force towards protestors. I also carried the resolution along with Councilman Jones that would have asked the CAO and the Police Chief to examine the RPD budget to identify areas where funding could be reallocated to actually tackle the root causes of crime and better serve residents. We have a lot of work ahead of us. We need to continue to engage with our community members and activists, as well as the public safety apparatus, and commit to implementing the recommendations laid out by the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. We also have to ensure funding parity between the Public Defender’s Office and prosecutors in the Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, demilitarize our Police Department, reform Richmond drug courts to direct residents into substance abuse recovery facilities and rehabilitative services, and transition away from the presence of School Resource Officers in our schools. 

Sustainable, living wage employment opportunities are strong deterrents to crime. Felony convictions are a huge barrier to employment, including employment with the City of Richmond. Will you support incentivizing employers to participate in strategies such as "Ban the Box" and work within City Hall to review hiring practices for the re-entry population?

Yes. In terms of re-entry, we need to build on the progress we’ve made in the areas of banning the box and doing away with marijuana testing of public employees, invest in the partnerships and processes laid out by the Office of Community Wealth Building, and partner with community organizations such as Nolef Turns to wrap support around our residents re-entering the community.

Accountability and transparency are critical in rebuilding trust and healing relationships between our public safety agencies and the community. Will you prioritize the ongoing need for quality policy data, reformed policing practices, and increased transparency and accountability in reporting?

Yes. We need a transformative rebalancing of the institutions in our public safety and criminal justice system. I’ve worked on Council to lift up the incredible work of community activists and reform groups and translate the protests and pain in our communities into policy. I’ve worked with my Council colleagues to introduce the “Marcus Alert” mental health crisis intervention hotline, start the process of creating an empowered Citizen Review Board with oversight capacity of RPD, and curtail RPD use of force towards protestors. I also carried the resolution along with Councilman Jones that would have asked the CAO and the Police Chief to examine the RPD budget to identify areas where funding could be reallocated to actually tackle the root causes of crime and better serve residents. We have a lot of work ahead of us. We need to continue to engage with our community members and activists, as well as the public safety apparatus, and commit to implementing the recommendations laid out by the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. We also have to ensure funding parity between the Public Defender’s Office and prosecutors in the Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, demilitarize our Police Department, reform Richmond drug courts to direct residents into substance abuse recovery facilities and rehabilitative services, and transition away from the presence of School Resource Officers in our schools. 

This summer, we have heard and seen our communities and in particular, our young people, organize and advocate for justice and for change. If elected, will you commit to empowering and engaging young people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, who have been impacted by the criminal justice system to help inform policy? Will you commit to allocating funds to support stipends for youth serving in these roles?

Yes. I was invigorated by the energy I saw in the streets of Richmond this summer when I marched alongside protestors calling for justice and reimagining how we police our communities. I am similarly inspired by the work of groups like Rise for Youth in the work that they do to empower young and formerly incarcerated people to disrupt the school to prison pipeline and ensure that we are not simply locking away our next generations. I absolutely support utilizing funds to support their and others organizations work.

Our city advocates demand a formalized process by which citizens play a strong role in investigating and reviewing claims again police misconduct. Do you support the creation of an independent civilian review board with subpoena power and the ability to investigate claims of police abuse? If not, what solutions do you support to ensure that all Richmonders are empowered to challenge they system where it fails and that police are held accountable?

Yes, I carried the resolution for the Independent Civilian Review Board, and I support both fully funding it and providing it with subpoena power. I also will advocate to fully fund the additional recommendations of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force.

Transportation

When we look at our transportation network as a whole, large swaths of the city do not have sidewalks, the bike network has grown has only a handful of protected bike lanes - which are a key factor in making the average person feel comfortable biking. Additionally, GRTC has the lowest public transportation funding per capita compared to our peer cities. Walking, biking, and transit are more equitable and cleaner modes of transportation. What policies would you support and what specific steps would you take to prioritize funding for transportation infrastructure and services that would close these network gaps?

My top transit priority is increasing access and coverage for GRTC. The Pulse has been largely a success in terms of engaging more riders and driving up system wide ridership, as well as in terms of connecting residents with businesses and job opportunities, but it has unfortunately meant less access in some neighborhoods in the 5th as detailed in a recent analysis done by VCU. We need to emphasize broadening bus access and increasing frequency of lines, particularly on the 5th’s Southside. In order to achieve this, we have to look at increased funding for GRTC from the Richmond budget, but also at further engaging with our regional partners in Chesterfield and Henrico through avenues such as the CVTA to ensure that they’re paying their fair share.

In the last five years, our peer cities have reorganized to pull transportation oversight of public works or planning departments into a focused department of transportation. "The department is particularly necessary now because the nature of transportation planning has changed. Transportation isn't a maintenance activity anymore. It's really keeping up with new design standards and meeting the really rapidly changing and growing needs of travelers," said Matt Nicholas, Oakland's transportation policy advisor about creating the Oakland DOT in 2016. Would you support establishing a Department of Transportation to comprehensively address Richmond's multifaceted needs? Why or why not?

I would absolutely be open to moving to a Department of Transportation model. I think that it would be an excellent model for addressing the myriad problem we have in terms of coordinating large scale transit and mobility initiatives. We can not continue to silo these initiatives in DPU, DPW, and other City agencies when we are faced with such a systemic issue. A central Department would allow for more coordinated development and planning, easier cooperation with community organizations and transit oriented non-profits, and a more robust and dedicated funding mechanism in the long term.

Richmond's average WalkScore is 51 out of 100, or "Somewhat Walkable," with the most walkable areas being Church Hill, Downtown, Carytown, and VCU. Richmond has dedicated roughly $2 million in the annual budget for new sidewalks. The average cost for a mile of sidewalk is roughly $500,000. How much will you commit to new sidewalk funding annually to ensure our most vulnerable users can travel safely? How will you prioritize more affordable and immediate options to provide walk/rollways to neighborhoods that need them by repurposing existing roadways?

We can’t create a more inclusive and equitable 5th District if residents can’t get around safely and affordably. I will advocate for pedestrians with all of the tools afforded to me on Council, and this starts by fighting for more money in the budgeting process to invest in crosswalks, bike lanes, high visibility signage, and traffic calming measures such as curb bump outs and speed bumps. We have a great opportunity in the Bike/Walk Master Plan component of the RVA 300 plan to fund a city-wide road diet, and dedicate significantly more lane miles and space to pedestrians and cyclists. This will also take long term structural changes such as the city wide lowering of speed limits in residential areas as proposed by Councilman Jones, consideration of multi-modality in future development and expansion, and education, particularly in our behind the wheel courses in RPS, centered around drivers’ relationship with pedestrians. We also have to engage with existing partners such as Bike Walk RVA to leverage grassroots engagement and fully fund their proposals. We have a beautiful and vibrant 5th District, but unfortunately right now, a lot of people don’t have meaningful access to all it offers because of how difficult we make it to get around without a car. We have to change that. 

The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation this year to create the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA) and providing new, dedicated revenue sources for the Richmond Region. The bill requires that 35% of funds be used for regional transportation related purposes, 15% of funds will be distributed to GRTC, and 50% will be given back proportionally to each locality to be used for local mobility, which can include construction, maintenance, or expansion of roads, sidewalks, trails, mobility services, or transit located in the locality. How will you ensure that the CVTA prioritizes additional funding for regional transit and equitable mobility throughout the region? Additionally, in anticipation of this new revenue source, Richmond cut its budget allocation to GRTC in half; however, it is clear that because the CVTA relies on gas and sales tax to raise funds, the expected $8 million will not be available this fiscal year. Unless the funding gap is filled, transit service in Richmond will be reduced. What steps, if any, will you take to restore Richmond's funding for GRTC to 100% of FY2020 levels?

In this upcoming budget cycle I will be calling on the full restoration of the city’s commitment to GRTC above and beyond the revenues generated via the CVTA. I will also ensure that dollars are earmarked to the extent possible towards multimodal projects that center people, not cars.

Youth & Family

RPS has served more than 750,000 meals since schools closed in March. What will you do to ensure RPS has the support they need to continue feeding students during the duration of the pandemic and beyond?

I’ve witnessed first hand as a volunteer the incredible work that our RPS family has done to ensure food is still distributed to families that need it, and to kids for whom this is their only reliable meal. I will continue to support these efforts going by forward by partnering with community organizations such as FeedMore and Fit4Kids, working with state and federal partners for further funding, and also by ensuring the RPS has the budgetary commitment that it needs from the City.

Prior to the pandemic, 9,500 children in Richmond under the age of five, live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level; however, there are only 3,500 seats in both private and public early education centers in the city. What can you do to create more early educational opportunities for our most vulnerable children?

I support the Mayor’s proposal for a universal Pre-K plan to close the early childhood learning gap. I also have worked to fully fund Parks and Recreation to ensure that we are providing holistic after school supports and extra curricular experiences for our kids.

Schools are the heart and soul of our neighborhoods. How do you propose the Mayor's Administration and Council should work with RPS and the School Board to ensure that every student has access to a high quality education and safe facilities to learn in? What funding streams would you like to see leveraged to support Richmond Public Schools' strategic plan?

We as a Council need to start from a place of collaboration and emphasize listening to those that are closest to our kids. I have long been in support of certain specific legislative goals, such as ensuring collective bargaining for our teachers and support staff, creating more formal methods for input on processes from teachers, and pursuing innovative solutions like school based health centers, but fundamentally I believe my role is to collaborate with my partner in the 5th on School Board to elevate the needs of teachers, families, and staff across the 5th District, and provide any and all resources necessary for our schools. I believe the Education Compact can be strengthened and more fully supported in our budgeting process, and I am in favor of robust third party audits to ensure progress towards asserted goals and benchmarks. We need to leverage the surplus school properties that we currently have in our inventory to both pursue more dedicated funding streams for RPS, and to pursue innovative solutions to issues like our affordable housing stock. We also need to continue to increase funding and support to our City Parks and Rec after school programs to engage our kids in holistic learning opportunities throughout the day. And again, I also support the Mayor’s proposal for a universal Pre-K plan to close the early childhood learning gap.

Jer'Mykeal McKoy

Environment

Visitation to parks and green spaces has increased since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, but access to them is inequitable. How will you approach funding and implementation of the James River Park System Master Plan and the creation of parks and greenspaces in communities that currently have poor access?

We should fund the James River Parks. however I do not see access to them as being inequitable. It is not governments job to deal with equitable or inequitable. Government gives the same opportunity; but the results are not the same. Nor should they be. In America, some people do very well, while others don’t, that’s the beauty of our country.

Given the increasing magnitude of heavy rain events as a consequence of climate change and the passage of Senate Bill 1064 earlier this year, how will you approach Richmond's combined sewer system and stormwater management in general?

I don’t think the heavy rains are caused by climate change. We have not had a major hurricane river flood in almost 30 years. We had multiple river floods in the 70s and 80s, Then we built a billion floodwall and have never had to use it. So I dispute that climate change is a cause of any of it. Now I do think we should upgrade our waste water management program so we don’t put raw sewage into the river, but this is another project that is very costly and no one has addressed in the previous hundred years.

Richmond's formerly redlined neighborhoods - neighborhoods that continue to be predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods - experience disproportionate climate impacts. These neighborhoods see surface temperatures nearly 5 degrees hotter during the summer. They have 36% less tree canopy and have poorer air quality due to their proximity to highways. All of these factors contribute to higher instances of asthma and heat-related illness. What policies would you support to encourage climate resiliency and reduce urban heat island effects? How will you ensure funding for these proposals?

None. If you do not like where you live move. I live directly next to a highway by choice. It is not government job to deal with these theories that are not true.

City Council recently adopted the Net Zero Resolution (2020-R024) which updated the City's carbon reduction commitment from 80% by 2050 to 100%. Emissions from transportation and gas utilities are a major barrier to achieving this goal. What specific steps will you support in fulfilling this commitment and how will you support the Office of Sustainability's efforts to reduce emissions?

I think we as a city need to conserve our money. Before we invest in green energy we need to make sure that it is cheaper than what we use now. I do not want to stick our citizens with higher expenses.

Energy efficiency presents a highly cost-effective way to work towards Richmond's emissions reduction goals. What specific steps will you take to support energy efficiency in city infrastructure and buildings? Will you support updating energy efficiency standards across the City?

None; no.

Neighborhoods

Richmond had an eviction crisis before COVID-19 and the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem. To put the looming catastrophe in perspective, consider the following: during July 2020, landlords were awarded an average of $1,787 in each unlawful detainer case. At the time of this writing, there were over 1,200 unlawful detainer cases scheduled to be heard in September. Assuming the average judgment remains roughly the same, this amounts to a total of over $2 million in unpaid rent in September. Not every household facing eviction participates or is eligible for the EDP, nor do they necessarily receive the full 50% of back rent the EDP provides; however, these numbers are illustrative nonetheless. The FY2021 budget allocates $485,000 to the EDP for the entire year. Those funds will be exhausted in roughly two weeks given the current numbers. Will federal and state programs cover this gap? If not, how will you adequately fund this essential program? What additional solutions do you propose to address the coming wave of evictions?

  • People need to work and pay their rent. There is no excuse anyone under 60 cannot work a 40 hour week and pay their rent. The problem we have is that many people are not realistic about where they can afford to live. If you work a job and make $500 a week you need to do the math and figure out where you can afford to live. It is not governments job to find you a place to live, that’s your responsibility. It’s not governments job to manage your money for you, that’s your responsibility.
  • We must get over this idea of evection crisis because people are not going to invest in the city if they cannot collect rent.

One of the most rudimentary functions of local government is to provide residents with adequate public facilities. Yet, despite paying the highest property tax rate in the region, flooding is routine on the Southside, in Brookland Park, and across the city. Backyards are falling into eroded and unmaintained alleys in the West End. Where sidewalks do exist, they are often inaccessible to people with mobility challenges. How will you make sure these basic and essential services are fulfilled by City Hall? What will you do differently?

We need to create accountability for department heads. We pay people a lot of money to oversee departments and there’s no accountability. Our City Council goes along to get along and we need someone to go down there and quite frankly raise hell!

What kind of policy would you seek to help maintain Richmond’s economic and racial diversity? Are there existing programs that are underutilized, for example the Real Estate Tax Relief Program, that could be leveraged more effectively? Would you support a longtime owner occupant program similar to Philadelphia’s?

I’m not a supporter of any of these programs. I think that business development and diversity happens organically.

Richmond was denser in 1950 than it is today. Increased density cuts housing costs for residents, preserves the City's limited greenspace, and saves the City money on providing essential services. What changes, either administratively or via ordinance, can the City make to help create dense residential development? What steps can Richmond take to entice, encourage, and facilitate additional residential development? How do we ensure a diversity of housing stock that is accessible to Richmonders at all income levels?

Again, why is this governments job?  People should live where they can afford to live. Government should stay out of the free market and let it work itself out.

While the City of Richmond and the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority (RRHA) are subject to federal regulations and budget allocations, there is nothing preventing the full engagement and partnership between these governing bodies and the residents they serve. Unfortunately, the history of public housing in Richmond is a history of distrust, betrayal, and silencing of public housing residents themselves. Like many cities across the nation, Richmond intentionally built highways to segregate and isolate public housing from the rest of the city, effectively preventing its residents from participation in the city's prosperity. Richmond used Urban Renewal to demolish public housing units without a one-to-one unit replacement which resulted in the physical and emotional destruction of public housing neighborhoods. While this is the history of Richmond's public housing, there is nothing that mandates that it also be the future. If elected, how will you work with public housing residents? How will you ensure that residents get to decide their own collective futures rather than having a government entity decide what is best for them?

Quite frankly people should only be in public housing for up to a year. Public housing is one of the worst things to ever happen, especially to Black people. It has encouraged single-parent families and generational poverty. It has gotten people away from the strong bedrock of church. We need to work to develop programs so that people stay in public housing is a short one.

Public Safety

Many in the City of Richmond have called for the reallocation of funding to support community based public safety response strategies. Do you support allocating funds to support training and resources for resident/community-led efforts in trauma prevention, intervention, and crisis response?

Absolutely not the police are the bedrock of American society. We must have law and order. I will vote no on anything that defunds or harms the police.

Sustainable, living wage employment opportunities are strong deterrents to crime. Felony convictions are a huge barrier to employment, including employment with the City of Richmond. Will you support incentivizing employers to participate in strategies such as "Ban the Box" and work within City Hall to review hiring practices for the re-entry population?

No. Employers have a right to know who they are hiring.

Accountability and transparency are critical in rebuilding trust and healing relationships between our public safety agencies and the community. Will you prioritize the ongoing need for quality policy data, reformed policing practices, and increased transparency and accountability in reporting?

I don’t think any of this is necessary. Most neighborhoods want more police not less. I am for leaving the police as they are.

This summer, we have heard and seen our communities and in particular, our young people, organize and advocate for justice and for change. If elected, will you commit to empowering and engaging young people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, who have been impacted by the criminal justice system to help inform policy? Will you commit to allocating funds to support stipends for youth serving in these roles?

Again these are only a small minority of people mostly do not own homes or property in the city. When you do not have skin in the game it is easy to want to change policy when you have no vested interest in the city. I do not support any of this.

Our city advocates demand a formalized process by which citizens play a strong role in investigating and reviewing claims again police misconduct. Do you support the creation of an independent civilian review board with subpoena power and the ability to investigate claims of police abuse? If not, what solutions do you support to ensure that all Richmonders are empowered to challenge they system where it fails and that police are held accountable?

These are unneeded. All too often these are abused to harass the police officers who are putting their life on the line for all of us.

Transportation

When we look at our transportation network as a whole, large swaths of the city do not have sidewalks, the bike network has grown has only a handful of protected bike lanes - which are a key factor in making the average person feel comfortable biking. Additionally, GRTC has the lowest public transportation funding per capita compared to our peer cities. Walking, biking, and transit are more equitable and cleaner modes of transportation. What policies would you support and what specific steps would you take to prioritize funding for transportation infrastructure and services that would close these network gaps?

They can be funded after we fix the public schools.

In the last five years, our peer cities have reorganized to pull transportation oversight of public works or planning departments into a focused department of transportation. "The department is particularly necessary now because the nature of transportation planning has changed. Transportation isn't a maintenance activity anymore. It's really keeping up with new design standards and meeting the really rapidly changing and growing needs of travelers," said Matt Nicholas, Oakland's transportation policy advisor about creating the Oakland DOT in 2016. Would you support establishing a Department of Transportation to comprehensively address Richmond's multifaceted needs? Why or why not?

No. I think in the future government transportation is going to be less critical than private on demand transportation.

Richmond's average WalkScore is 51 out of 100, or "Somewhat Walkable," with the most walkable areas being Church Hill, Downtown, Carytown, and VCU. Richmond has dedicated roughly $2 million in the annual budget for new sidewalks. The average cost for a mile of sidewalk is roughly $500,000. How much will you commit to new sidewalk funding annually to ensure our most vulnerable users can travel safely? How will you prioritize more affordable and immediate options to provide walk/rollways to neighborhoods that need them by repurposing existing roadways?

Again this is a nice idea but sidewalks come after new schools. Funding is a finite resource and we need to use what funding we have to fix the schools and then we can spend it on other things.

The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation this year to create the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA) and providing new, dedicated revenue sources for the Richmond Region. The bill requires that 35% of funds be used for regional transportation related purposes, 15% of funds will be distributed to GRTC, and 50% will be given back proportionally to each locality to be used for local mobility, which can include construction, maintenance, or expansion of roads, sidewalks, trails, mobility services, or transit located in the locality. How will you ensure that the CVTA prioritizes additional funding for regional transit and equitable mobility throughout the region? Additionally, in anticipation of this new revenue source, Richmond cut its budget allocation to GRTC in half; however, it is clear that because the CVTA relies on gas and sales tax to raise funds, the expected $8 million will not be available this fiscal year. Unless the funding gap is filled, transit service in Richmond will be reduced. What steps, if any, will you take to restore Richmond's funding for GRTC to 100% of FY2020 levels?

I think we should leave the funding as it is. The GRTC should have to pay for itself. We need to work to find programs and run government like a business that is not subsidized by the taxpayers.

Youth & Family

RPS has served more than 750,000 meals since schools closed in March. What will you do to ensure RPS has the support they need to continue feeding students during the duration of the pandemic and beyond?

The pandemic should’ve never close schools and we need to get the schools opened immediately. It is ridiculous that kids are going to school buildings for childcare and yet the teachers are sitting at home. Throughout the state other school districts are opening up however in Richmond because of teachers we are not.  It is very selfish by them and the people hurt most are the kids. As far as feeding the kids; we should fun that and we should take the money from the school administration. What are all of these people in school administration doing right now?

Prior to the pandemic, 9,500 children in Richmond under the age of five, live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level; however, there are only 3,500 seats in both private and public early education centers in the city. What can you do to create more early educational opportunities for our most vulnerable children?

Again I say we need to stop worrying about things like bike lanes and busses. That money needs to be redirected towards the kids and creating educational opportunities for them.

Schools are the heart and soul of our neighborhoods. How do you propose the Mayor's Administration and Council should work with RPS and the School Board to ensure that every student has access to a high quality education and safe facilities to learn in? What funding streams would you like to see leveraged to support Richmond Public Schools' strategic plan?

  • We must allow all students to have opportunities to vouchers so that they can escape the mess that is Richmond Public Schools. We have no accountability and the result is a bloated budget with no results. We are paying more now than ever for administration, and yet our graduation rates are down and test scores are down.
  • As far as funding goes; funding the schools needs to be our number one priority.  We have excessive bloat within the budget. We pay $500,000 for a press office. We pay $300,000 for a protective detail for the mayor. We pay $850,000 for commercials for utilities. Our budget is bloated about 20% and that needs to be redirected or cut to fund and fix the schools.
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