Historically underserved communities are more likely to be impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. Richmond leads Virginia’s independent cities in the total number of gun-related homicides per year and ranks second among all Virginia localities in gun-related homicides per capita. Community violence, including bullying, gang fighting, and shootings – especially when weapons and firearms are used – account for more death and disability than many significant diseases worldwide. And as noted by the CDC, firearms are the leading cause of death for children. Firearms also pose a risk to victims of sexual and domestic violence. Most intimate partner homicides in Virginia are committed with the use of a firearm, and guns are frequently used in non-fatal domestic violence. Young people raised in homes where violence is present may also choose to use violence to settle conflicts or manage relationships through abusive behaviors. The impact of violence in Richmond is far-reaching, causing long-term trauma and a range of mental health issues like PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Violence stems from many causes, including biology, family settings, neighborhood environment, exposure to violent behavior, discrimination, gender inequality, as well as many political and social reasons. Systemic racism and economic disparities are also driving forces in how we treat or mistreat residents in the city, with poverty acting as a lead co-conspirator in this crisis. These systemic issues are the root causes of displacement and slumlords who allow their properties to become dilapidated, under-resourced schools, and limited access to grocery stores, libraries, community centers, and culturally-rich programming. There is a direct correlation between segregationist policies and the disinvestment in neighborhoods to the types of violence prevalent in those same areas. Local government has played a direct role in making decisions that reify segregation through exclusionary zoning – including school district zoning – and housing restrictions that create gaps across wealth, jobs, and educational outcomes.

The reality is that we cannot effectively end community violence or gun violence if we don’t have a real plan to bring folks out of poverty. We must close the life expectancy gap that disproportionately impacts Black, Brown, and lower-income residents. Community safety is not solely the responsibility of the police. There are solutions available. Richmond needs a mayor with the political will to build the long-term infrastructure necessary to create opportunities and end the cycle of violence. Whether it’s pedestrian safety, addressing community and gun violence, preparing for extreme weather, and mitigating public health risks – my responsibility is to safeguard the well-being of residents. To achieve this, we need to rebuild trust with the community and collaborate with social workers, nonprofits, first responders, community health workers, schools, and faith leaders. My administration will invest in underresourced neighborhoods to create economic stability. As Mayor, I will implement Promise Neighborhood plans across the city to holistically support the long-term success for all children in Richmond. My commitment is to improve the health, safety, and overall well-being of youth and families in the city. Breaking through generational poverty through workforce development, job creation, and policies that pay for food, housing, healthcare, and education. Every neighborhood needs access to healthy, full-service grocery stores, high-quality green spaces and parks, pharmacies and community banks, sidewalks and street lights, and public amenities to feel safe and be safe. As mayor, I commit to addressing these systemic issues through the following:

• Economic development: Funding and implementing my Southside Economic Development Plan to generate economic growth and bring new grocery stores to South Richmond.
• Uplifting Black- and Brown-owned businesses: Supporting SWaM businesses with direct support from a revamped Economic Development Authority, accessible procurement opportunities, and expanding the Revolving Loan Fun with favorable terms for start-up and expansion.
• Career pathways: Building the future of work by creating a Southside Development Workforce Center with union-led training and apprenticeships so young people have a path to success.
• Affordable housing: Creating more diverse housing options at all price points to reduce displacements, evictions, and financial strain, especially for low-wage earners and seniors on fixed incomes.
• Infrastructure investments: Monumental investments in sidewalks, street lights, parks, athletic fields, and traffic calming measures for safe and walkable neighborhoods.
• Early education: Delivering a high-quality education starting with our earliest learners so all students' learning experiences and outcomes are strong regardless of socioeconomic status.
• Environmental justice: Improve the health and quality of life for Black, Brown, and lower-income residents in neighborhoods near environmental hazards and few green spaces by increasing infrastructural investments.

There are incredible social workers, behavioral health specialists, and mobile crisis response teams focused on prevention and intervention. We need to collaborate more with these organizations and advocates through the Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement. This involves increasing our understanding of what’s happening in our neighborhoods, visiting schools, and touring hospitals to hear directly from the emergency departments. Next, my administration will roll out a mental health crisis response team to provide the proper resources for those facing a crisis. Integration with Social Services will be a core focus of making every program, resource, and service available to those who need it. Additionally, we need to examine the efficacy and outcomes of gun violence prevention funding in the next fiscal budget. Right now, the budget is a hodge-podge of line items without clarity on who is leading this effort in the city. Our children need to plan for tomorrow to aid their growth and development. I will fund year-round programs like youth sports and athletics, access to the arts, culture, and music, while also ensuring every neighborhood has access to community centers, libraries, athletic fields, playgrounds, and courts. Lastly, our new People’s Budget is an entry point to funding projects and initiatives that will lead to long-term safety and stability for families and children. I’m proud to have introduced participatory budgeting to Richmond, making $3 million available for residents to implement projects that will make a difference in their community.

Yes

Here’s what we’re getting right: Hiring talented staff: I helped establish the Office of Sustainability and strengthened that office with additional funding for personnel to lead RVAgreen 2050. OOS has gone from being an office with a team of 1.5-persons split between DPU to being a permanent office with eight talented individuals dedicated to Richmond’s advancement of climate justice. The city also committed to hiring its first-ever urban forester to lead the strategy of reaching our goal of having 60% canopy cover, an objective set in RVAgreen 2050 and Richmond 300. Plus, City Council put money in the budget to hire AmeriCorps members as permanent city staff working in Parks & Recreation and Urban Forestry. Tracking progress: OOS also implemented a progress tracker TRAC-E (Tracking Realtime Action on Climate Equity) to build transparency and highlight which sections of the plan has not been completed. This is an incredible tool to ensure the hard work community members invested in creating this master plan does not collect dust. Finding funding opportunities: Every member of City Council unanimously voted to declare a climate emergency in Richmond. Although the mayor’s budget has not reflected these priorities, I’m proud to have delivered funding to help reach our goals in RVAgreen 2050, such as $100,000 for Groundwork RVA to plant new trees in Blackwell and Southside, with funding to support watering and arbor care. Additionally, city staff are securing federal grants and congressional earmarks to fund climate initiatives while building relationships with agency leadership such as the EPA, USDA, and DOE for additional funding and capacity building. Reactivating and launching commissions: I created a Public Utilities and Services Commission and supported re-establishing the Urban Forestry Commission to provide transparency, technical guidance, and recommendations to the mayor and City Council on critical issues impacting our energy resources and green spaces – both impacting our footprint. We must fully fund RVAgreen 2050 with staffing across departments to achieve these goals. Here are the challenges I will address as mayor to achieve our climate and equity goals: Collaborative decision-making: Too many decisions we make as a city are done in silos, especially with how we build in Richmond. We need to plan for how we grow and ensure sustainability is part of the culture and decision-making processes at City Hall. Create a new Department of Transportation: I have called on the current administration to align our staff and organizational resources around the City’s stated goal of reaching zero annual traffic fatalities and Richmonders’ vision within the Richmond Connects plan by creating a Department of Transportation that will prioritize safety, accessibility, and modal shift away from single-occupancy vehicles that burn fossil fuels. Develop green building standards: Again, the way we build must be intentional with a plan for growth that looks at the next 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of the city. I will work with relevant staff and garner public input on developing green building standards for new city-owned facilities. Stop subsidizing new gas connections for county residents: Richmonders should not subsidize new gas hookups for developers and county residents. Nearly 90% of the 8th and 9th districts are above the average energy burden. Those dollars can be redirected towards critical home repairs, weatherization, and energy efficiency programs for residents. Expand recycling and composting options to reduce waste, especially for greater access to residents in multi-family housing. I also support hiring a full-time Recycling and Compost Program Manager within the Department of Public Works. Build a climate workforce: One of my top funding priorities will be repurposing city-owned assets to create a new Workforce Development Center in Southside with union-led training and apprenticeship programs for RPS students and others looking to gain new skills. Our energy-efficient future as a city will require experienced electricians, welders, foresters, and solar installation professionals. Apprentices can gain training hours by weatherizing homes and providing critical home repairs, which are important for reducing energy bills.

Yes

Decades of harmful land use and housing policies from redlining, urban renewal, and annexation are negatively impacting the environment and character of these neighborhoods. This looks like Black and Latino neighborhoods next to factories and processing plants, I-95 and highways, kids with no easy way to walk to school or a playground, and very few grocery stores. The lasting effects of these discriminatory policies have led to lower health outcomes and a shorter life expectancy for predominantly Black, Brown, and lower-income residents in the East End and Southside. I support greenlining neighborhoods – the intentional practice of increasing investments in neighborhoods impacted by redlining and other environmental harm to expand economic opportunities. Community members who will have a harder time bouncing back from a severe storm or disaster are those we must prioritize in our planning. This means that investments for frontline communities must be at the front of the line for funding and resources. Climate justice is rooted in disrupting generational poverty and addressing the root causes of these systemic issues. Climate action is intrinsically linked to community safety, food insecurity, access to jobs, housing, child care, transportation, and education. Our environmental justice framework as a city must center on the health and livelihood of our residents — the ability to work, receive care, have safe housing, get around, and access a quality education — at every stage of life.

Yes

I created the Public Utilities and Services Commission for greater transparency and accountability around our utilities. Part of the Commission’s role is to make recommendations and provide guidance to the mayor and City Council about DPU operations, service changes, fiscal responsibility, and transitioning Richmond away from natural gas. Right now, a quarter of low-income households have an energy burden above 16%. As we’ve seen with other historic patterns regarding housing policies – primarily redlining, urban renewal, and racial covenants – Black (28%) and Latino households (24%) have higher utility bills. We can continue to partner with organizations like project:HOMES, Viridiant, and the Community Climate Collaborative to conduct free energy audits, weatherize homes, and map the greatest energy burdens across the city. At the state level, I will continue championing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) as Virginia dedicates 50% of carbon-trading funds towards more energy-efficient housing. RGGI provided $250 million in its first two years to make low-income housing more energy-efficient. As mayor, my priorities are critical home repairs completed by union labor with local apprentices, building resilience hubs, and divesting from natural gas – all objectives outlined in RVAgreen 2050.

In 2040, Richmond will be a thriving, vibrant, and diverse city. Mixed-income mixed-use developments have been created that provide rental and ownership opportunities for residents in our priority growth nodes. Our focus on multi-modal transportation will support a walkable and bikeable city that intersects a robust high-frequency transit network across the region. Every neighborhood has access to fundamental amenities for a high quality of life such quality green space, medical and health services, full-service grocery stores and corner markets, childcare, schools, libraries, community facilities, jobs, and more. Walkable and bikeable access to these assets and resources is paramount for the vibrant future of our city. This will be attained by focusing on diverse housing options being built across every corner of the city and through investing in the public assets and infrastructure needed to support these neighborhoods.

I will track and measure success based on the following metrics: Maintain existing home ownership - minimize the displacement of our families and residents who own their homes through real estate tax reforms that protect against tax related displacement. Specifically addressing the HOME report of the racial disparities of home ownership changes over the last several years. Preservation of existing affordable mixed-family housing - through supporting the creation and operation of a housing conservancy organization, we will be able to compete in the market to purchase existing multi-family apartments and maintain them at their current affordability. This will help to balance our growth by preserving our existing affordable apartments to be available for our working families and residents. We will track the number of units preserved, their price point, and their location in the city. Affordable Housing Building Permits - we will track all building permits that receive LIHTC (60-80% AMI), funding from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (40-60% AMI), or support housing-choice vouchers to show our progress at building new housing units for all AMI income levels below 80%. Number of mixed-income developments - projects that support all income levels are challenging, however they are achieved by investing and working with strategic partners. Projects that include market rate and leverage LIHTC, Affordable Housing Trust Fund investment, and RRHA vouchers, and other incentives are complex but vitally important for our future. Strategic acquisition of land to support affordable developments - as a city, we need to invest in the places we need to see more affordable housing at all levels, by owning the land, we can better negotiate the outcomes and levels of affordability rather than offering only incentives. By owning a real estate portfolio of land specifically to support our affordable housing goals is a great long-term investment to support addressing our housing crisis. Maintain inventory of existing subsidized housing units - we need to engage annually with all property managers and landlords that are providing subsidized affordable housing units in Richmond to track their number of available units, number of bedrooms, and rental price point. This will allow for the City to better support maintaining our existing affordable housing and to be able to track our progress and providing diverse housing options for all income levels.

Affordable housing is the ability for all residents of our city to be able to have access to stable high-quality housing.

This is an expression of our cities economy and education system as our ability to educate and train our future workforce to be able to rent, own, and have self-determination in when and where they move. Richmond’s affordability for housing is impacted by the strength of the region. Access to well-paying jobs and the skills to attain those specific jobs are as integral to housing stability as the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, and my initiative to guarantee a right to counsel for eviction proceedings. The City must be a leader and a partner in the region to ensure a strong housing market where it is easy to build new housing, existing residents have the tools to afford to stay in their community, there is a wide spectrum of housing options, and there’s a robust workforce ecosystem backing all of our residents to build and maintain the existing and future housing stock.

Yes

The City of Richmond must fully commit to addressing the needs of our growing city by creating a Department of Transportation (DOT). An independent and fully empowered department can strategically focus on our priorities of multi-modal transportation, Vision Zero, and Complete Streets. DOT will align these priorities by serving as the central agency in charge of maintaining our streets, sidewalks, crosswalks, parking, bike lanes, and trails. That is why I patroned legislation in 2021 calling on the current Administration to create an independent DOT, which passed with unanimous support from my colleagues on Council. Richmond needs a mayor who walks, bikes and rides the bus everyday; one who has proven they have the vision, the record and political courage to do the hard work of investing in transformative policies and plans, even if there will be inevitable pain points along the way.

Yes

In my first 100 days I will Launch a new Department of Transportation dedicated to safe streets, reconnecting neighborhoods, and frequent public transit that is fare-free, dignified, reliable, and accessible. Through my advocacy to create the Central Virginia Transportation Authority, we were able to secure a dedicated funding stream for GRTC to provide fare-free public transit to Richmonders. I will guarantee the maintenance of GRTC’s fare-free program. Finally we’re going to fully fund Richmond Connects, Richmond’s equity-centered multimodal transportation plan, which was spurred by legislation I passed in 2019 in my Safe Streets for All Omnibus legislation package. By the time I leave office, we will have funded and at least begun implementation in each of the priority areas identified in the Action Plan.

Yes

As an elected official and Richmond resident, I know intimately that we need to improve our infrastructure, revitalize storefronts along our commercial corridors, and invest in our housing stock in order to provide a wide diversity of options for our residents. The question facing the next mayor is “How?” I am the only candidate with a clear record in delivering in this space. I lobbied regional leaders to create the Central Virginia Transportation Authority so we could generate millions of dollars of new revenue for critical infrastructure projects, including dedicated funding for GRTC. For future projects, we need to ensure timely and effective implementation of the North-South BRT, and begin planning for future BRT routes down Richmond Highway and Hull St. To aid in the development of these corridors, I have also been working to secure regional and state funding to reconnect Walmsley Blvd to Richmond Hwy. This will both provide for a better connection to the Richmond Marine Terminal and unlock economic activity along this corridor since two popular thoroughfares will be reconnected for bus, bike, pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Southside investment will be a top priority of my administration in order to improve public transit, bring new grocery stores, and other critical needs like childcare centers and pharmacies.

As mayor, I will build on the success of GRASP’s Pathways Scholarship and expand the program to help students build a plan for life after graduation into The Promise Scholarship. The program will engage 10th grade students to show them they have financial support for their future education. The support includes: Dual enrollment classes with J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in all RPS high schools. Free postgraduate programs to complete associate degrees, certifications, and apprenticeships. Financial assistance to complete programs to support focus on completing programs and not having to balance work while learning. Connect after-school programs in middle schools that align with career options. Finally, I’m proposing to build a new and modern workforce development center in Southside for students and adults: trades, skills, apprenticeships, and more with direct hiring access for local businesses and companies. Our energy-efficient future as a city will require experienced electricians, plumbers, welding, and solar installation professionals. Similarly, with caregiving jobs – the fastest growing workforce in the country. These careers should not be seen as a last-ditch option, but as a viable, first-choice career.

First and foremost, my Administration will build on best practices by enhancing and strengthening our communities through modern and trauma-informed approaches that address the root causes of crime, leading to long-term safety and stability for families and children. We will roll out a mental health crisis response team to provide the proper resources for those facing a crisis. Integration with Social Services will be a core focus to make every program, resource, and service available to those who need it. We also need to instill community policing practices for our officers, where they collaborate with co-responders and alternative responders on crime prevention and intervention programs like Group Violence Intervention (GVI). The best-trained and resourced community policing model in the U.S. collaborates with social workers, mental health professionals, and housing support partners. By taking a collaborative, community-driven approach to policing, we are better equipped to lower unnecessary encounters with police and identify issues and conflicts before they escalate to violence. Finally, I’ll make it plain – systemic racism and economic disparities are the driving forces in how we treat or mistreat residents in the city. Poverty is a co-conspirator in this crisis, and we cannot effectively end community violence or gun violence if we don’t have a real plan to bring folks out of poverty. We must close the life expectancy gap that disproportionately impacts Black, Brown, and lower-income residents. My administration will focus on breaking through generational poverty through workforce development, job creation, and policies that pay for food, housing, healthcare, and education. Every neighborhood needs access to healthy, full-service grocery stores, high-quality green spaces and parks, pharmacies and community banks, sidewalks and street lights, and public amenities to feel safe and be safe.

It’s our job as adults to ensure every child is cared for and loved, but there are too many adverse experiences our youth are experiencing today, such as gun violence and violence within the home, hunger, unstable housing, court involvement, and even the loss of a friend or family member. As Mayor, I will implement Promise Neighborhood plans across the city to holistically support the long-term success for all children in Richmond. My commitment is to improve the health, safety, and overall well-being of youth and families in the city. VCU created a plan in 2012 for implementing Promise Neighborhoods and the Urban Institute rolled out an update in 2022 pushing for this as well. We have a valid model for Richmond and I will see it through as mayor. When it comes to public education, I believe supporting our students should not stop when the school day ends. Nor should creativity and exploration be available to certain youth. Every student in RPS needs the hours of 3-6 p.m. filled with enriching, positive, and healthy activities that are safe and easily accessible by bus, bike, and walking in all neighborhoods. And for those with limited transportation or additional family caregiving responsibilities, activities should be included in the school day as well. Our children all need to make plans for tomorrow that aid in their growth and development. I will fund year-round programs like youth sports and athletics, access to the arts, culture, music, and ensuring every neighborhood has access to community centers, libraries, athletic fields, playgrounds, and courts.