Many of Richmond’s most challenging problems are rooted in historically unequal systems that disadvantage people of color. People remain locked in generational poverty resulting from diminished educational opportunities, inadequate job training and access, and a legal system that prioritizes punishment over restoration. Lack of access to social, medical, and mental health resources denies them the tools to adequately address their trauma and stress. The result is despair and desperation, which is the breeding ground for addiction, mental illness, and violence. It’s no surprise that violence in Richmond is largely concentrated in the communities most impacted by historical racism and most vulnerable to its devastating effects.

I believe that the impact of historic racial segregation in housing and education and now the widening separation of families with different socio-economic status is tragic and must be addressed. My wife and I intentionally chose to live in the East End because of our lament for this legacy and our desire to live integrated lives in every aspect of our neighboring, educating our kids, investing in local institutions and more. Building more mixed-income neighborhoods through housing affordability investments and public education remain our two most powerful tools in changing the conditions of our children and their families. As Mayor, I will prioritize affordable housing and RPS in our budget. We need better facilities and world-class teachers supported by a school and city administration whose goals are aligned around preparing our students to graduate with job skills or readiness for higher ed. We need to reach our children earlier and support their families by investing in universal Pre-K, family engagement initiatives that bolster pre-literacy learning, and adequate child care that allows parents to go to work secure in the knowledge that their child is safe and cared for. I have released a detailed policy paper discussing my plan for RPS, which includes a defined priority about early childhood education: https://dannyformayor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AVUL2406_Education-Policy-Paper.pdf I plan to release my detailed housing policy paper around Labor Day. Modernizing our school facilities will allow for them to become true community hubs that connect students and their families to the vital wraparound services that promote healthy students and healthy families, including comprehensive annual health and vision screenings for all of Richmond’s children.

The most immediate impact I can have is on the culture of how Richmond’s city government operates. From day one you will notice my increased presence in communities, at City Council meetings, town halls, and neighborhood meetings. I will listen to your best ideas for building trust between the police and the communities most impacted by gun violence, for removing guns from the streets, and for addressing the root causes of gun violence. I will then prioritize those ideas at City Hall in transparent and accountable ways. This will be my invitation to a more collaborative way of doing the city’s business, and I believe that when people begin to trust that this administration is operating with openness and responsiveness, Richmonders will respond by bringing their best ideas and resources in service to addressing the full spectrum of Richmond’s needs. But it all starts with being a proximate and responsive Mayor.

Yes

I’m excited about progress that’s already been made in local climate policy, and I’m ready to build on that progress in new ways. I’m thankful for the efforts of the Virginia Land Conservancy, and I’m encouraged that we have recognized the value of a healthy James River to both our city’s health and our civic identity. Moving forward, moving the city as quickly as possible to renewable energy in our buildings and transportation fleets. We can also help our communities to increase climate resilience through infrastructure improvements, environmentally responsive construction, and incentivizing solar and other renewable energy sources.

Yes

Climate injustice follows historical injustice of all kinds, and so it’s no surprise that our poorest communities are the ones most likely to be located next to (or even on top of) active or disused landfills, be our most intense urban heat islands, have the poorest air quality, and have the least access to green space and natural resources. As a physician, I have seen and treated the direct health impacts of living in these communities. Conditions like asthma, cardiovascular disease, and heat-related illnesses. These are all contributing factors to the reality that Richmond’s poorest zip codes have life expectancies 20 years less than our wealthiest zip codes. As Mayor, I will work to reduce the heat island effect by increasing greenspace, planting shade trees, and better connecting neighborhoods to parks like James River Park. The Fall Line Trail is also an opportunity to connect neighborhoods to a wider trail system from Ashland to Petersburg. We can revise zoning ordinances to encourage more environmentally responsive development in these communities, and ensure that the communities have a voice and an advocate in determining future development. And we can lower the barriers to primary and preventive care so that families can better address the health impacts they experience from climate injustice. I have been very impressed with work from non-profits like Groundwork RVA, Capital Trees and the local Sierra Club to help with this work and I pledge to lead the City in being a great partner to the experts already addressing issues like this in our communities.

Yes

While phasing out Richmond Gas Works in favor of renewable and clean energy sources, I would work closely with the newly created Public Utilities Commission to plan deliberately for the future, including keeping prices reasonably low for low and median income households and providing subsidies and support for low and median income households to put infrastructure required to utilize these new energy sources.

As a longtime public health physician, my priority is that we have healthy neighborhoods and within them sustainable, safe housing. I believe that families should be able to afford to stay in Richmond, and all residents deserve safe neighborhoods. If we want to see progress in education, public safety, and thriving families, then housing is foundational. Within that, we must prioritize creating and preserving housing at every level of affordability. The Partnership for Affordable Housing (PHA) has found that the Richmond region will need to close the gap on the current deficit of 20,000 affordable rental homes as well as provide over 1,000 new homes affordable to low-income households per year between now and 2040 to meet the growing housing demand. We need to use the forthcoming rewrite of the City’s zoning code as an opportunity to make it easier to build multi-family housing units, accessory dwelling units, and other relatively low-cost housing must become the norm within the City of Richmond. We should also rely heavily on the Richmond 300 plan, developed in concert with Richmond residents’ input and prioritize the growth nodes identified in that plan. Because this plan had so much resident input, we need it to guide our growth patterns. Finally, if the entire approval process was more consistent and reliable, then both for-profit and nonprofit developers would want to build in the city. When developers don’t know the process or fear the process may change, they are hesitant to invest in a project. They need to be confident the rules won’t change. This goes back to investing in a more efficient and accountable City Hall, as detailed in my policy paper, which can be found at https://dannyformayor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AVUL2404_Policy-Paper_v6.pdf. In addition to revamping the zoning code, we need to enact policies that facilitate large-scale investments in expanding the supply of housing in the City of Richmond at all income levels by: -Assuring that the full amount of expiring tax rebate tax dollars are re-invested in city housing needs. -Considering adoption of a Land Value Tax to encourage development and commit part of revenue from growing land values into funding deeply affordable housing units. -Expanding investments in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and making sure that housing development supported by the Affordable Housing Trust Fund is weighted towards supporting deeply affordable housing units. -Expanding city investment in the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust to allow the Land Trust to acquire more vacant properties, particularly in parts of the city that have not yet experienced rapid gentrification. The MWCLT is an effective vehicle for creating housing units that are permanently affordable. -Exploring innovative pathways where MWCLT could take over tax delinquent properties, and facilitate the use of state and federal tax credits to renovate properties and ensure affordability. -Exploring development of a locally-funded voucher program to augment federal vouchers provided through RRHA. -Supporting innovative Social Housing initiatives and other approaches to creating good-quality deeply affordable housing. -Encouraging the use of “air rights.” Maximizing the opportunity to build up, and put apartments above public and private amenities. For example, putting four stories of apartments above the next public library we build.

I will measure the success of these housing initiatives by (1) setting aggressive targets for the baseline of how much housing is needed when I get elected, (2) implementing the policies stated above, and (3) setting a percentage by which we reduce that gap, year over year and reporting against that number. I will carefully track housing prices, home sales and projects in progress. City Hall will maintain data on numbers of homes sold and evaluate this data next to Richmonders’ income.

Housing is affordable if a household is not spending more than 30% of their gross monthly income on housing. If they are spending more than 50%, they are severely cost burdened. Housing is one of the largest drivers of any economy - local, state or federal. Housing drove us into a recession and housing can help us get out. Housing drives the economy because there are so many ancillary things such as housing materials, moving people, purchasing furniture and wallpaper and paint and even things like providing jobs for Door Dash drivers. When someone is severely cost burdened by housing, they have less money for so-called “discretionary purposes,” which impacts food purchases, picking up prescriptions and saving for college or retirement. When folks cannot afford things they do less shopping, less eating out, less ordering pizza and that impacts jobs and businesses. When housing is expensive, it not only negatively impacts individuals, it exacts an exorbitant toll on a community. While the industry uses below 80% of the Area Median Income to define affordability incentives, I know that we need more resources at more deeply affordable levels for folks living on incomes below 60% AMI. I aim to continue the resources and tools that already exist to create housing for households between 60-80% AMI, while increasing our attention and investments in projects that are producing units for households between 20 and 60% AMI where there are huge gaps and a population who is more threatened by eviction and instability.

Housing is a fundamental driver of our economy on many interrelated levels: -Access to affordable housing at all income levels is essential for social stability in Richmond. It helps prevent displacement and supports diverse, vibrant communities. Stable housing reduces crime and supports better educational and health outcomes. -Affordable and diverse housing options are crucial for attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. Richmond's ability to offer housing that meets various income levels ensures that businesses can attract talent from different socioeconomic backgrounds. -Housing is a significant driver of economic growth in Richmond. The construction of new homes and the renovation of existing ones generate jobs in construction, real estate, and related industries. This boosts local businesses, from contractors to material suppliers. -Property taxes are a major source of revenue for Richmond, which funds public services like schools, transportation, and infrastructure.

Yes

Multi-modal transportation solutions increase access to jobs and education, lower barriers to accessing goods and services, and reduce the environmental impact of moving from place to place. Public transportation is vital to making our region a more equitable place to live and work. Continuing fare-free bus service will continue to ensure that all residents can use the bus system. My administration will continually evaluate existing routes to ensure that they serve the greatest number of people, and work with our partner counties to extend bus service and bus rapid transit service into more living, working, and shopping areas. [In particular, I would like to see expansion of the Bus Rapid Transit concept on additional routes into the counties so as to create a truly regional transit system. Regarding other modes of transportation, I have been encouraged by the progress Richmond has made in recent years modifying our streets to encourage non-automotive commuting. Sharrows, dedicated bike lanes, traffic calming infrastructure, make it safer and more convenient for bikes and scooters. We need to continue and improve this effort. And yes, we need to greatly expand our bikeshare program, which currently feels more symbolic than anything.

Yes

1) I will find the funding to ensure that GRTC remains fare free by including GRTC in the city budget and by working tirelessly to extend state funding and working with our partner counties to ensure that GRTC is funded in their budgets, as well. 2) I will continually evaluate existing routes to ensure that they serve the greatest number of people, and work with our partner counties to extend bus service and bus rapid transit service into more living, working, and shopping areas. 3) Increase access to rideshares, bikeshares, and scooters so that every neighborhood has more choice in how and when they move about the city.

Yes

When evaluating so many competing priorities, I have to consider which projects the mayor can best move forward versus those that are more under the control of state and federal bodies. As such, I will prioritize the North-South Pulse line and the Fall Line Trail. Bus Rapid Transit has such an impact on the lives and livelihoods of so many of our families. And the Fall Line Trail will provide not only a safe route for bikes and walkers, but also connect many communities to greenways that have not traditionally had this access. When it comes to working with regional, state, and federal authorities on both these projects as well as the larger projects such as Transforming Rail and the Mayo Bridge replacement, my track record working at the state level positions me to not only understand the mechanics of getting things done, but the experience to get those things done.

Here’s my standard: Every single child in Richmond Public Schools should leave RPS with a diploma that ensures quality preparation for college or a well-paying job, and the resources they need to build a purposeful life. Getting there is a journey, and the journey begins at birth, so my plan to support Richmond Public Schools and families begins with family engagement initiatives that promote pre-literacy learning, along with investment in childcare and universal pre-K. I will prioritize RPS in the city budget and aggressively advocate for the General Assembly to adequately fund public education so that school-age children receive a top-notch education delivered by highly-effective teachers in modern facilities. This education includes out-of-school time and engagement activities from K-12, including summer programming. As students progress to high school, I plan to work with RPS to allow each student to choose their best pathway into adulthood. For some, this pathway is a two- or four-year college. For others, the pathway is through vocational training or internships. I will support building a world-class Richmond Technical Center that will work together with our Office of Community Wealth Building and other partners so that every student can step into the world with the skills and confidence to succeed in the 21st-century workforce.

More significant than any job or title I hold, I am first and foremost a parent of children being educated in Richmond Public Schools and the partner of an RPS teacher. No student, no teacher, no parent nor partner should have to worry about their safety or the safety of their loved ones during the school day. Yet that is the challenging reality that we all face every day. Yes it’s a national problem, but Richmond is our home and Richmond is where we must concentrate our efforts to curb the violence on our streets and in our schools. When it comes to schools, we cannot keep our children safe in school if they are not in school. Far too many children arrive at school traumatized, sleep-deprived, and stressed--a toxic combination of factors that erects barriers to both learning and behavior regulation. When they act out, they are punished with suspensions or expulsions, and they often wind up out of school and on the street or under the control of the juvenile justice system. My education plan includes collaborating with the school board, superintendent, teachers, and city council concerning the holistic needs of our students, working together to create a shared plan to support the needs of our students and families both in and out of schools. Together we can address the issues that keep children from being in school in the first place. The most effective action we can take to make both our schools and streets safer is to reduce the number of guns. Increased cooperation between police and communities builds trust and promotes better gun-reducing policies. Locally, my administration will invest in community violence-reduction programs like GVI, Group Violence Intervention, which is being piloted in Hopewell with some promising initial results. I will also work tirelessly with our state legislators to enact true common-sense gun laws. Ultimately, the most effective way to reduce violence is to reduce the despair and desperation that lead to most violent acts. We begin immediately with poverty-reduction programming that meets our families where they are and provides resources to support their work to achieve stability and thriving. Alongside this programming, we will also remain actively engaged in undoing the systems and policies designed to keep families--and especially families of color--locked in generational cycles of poverty.

Education, wraparound services, and family resources are such a key part of my platform that you’ll notice I’ve incorporated them as part of how I will address other issues you’ve asked about. I feel so strongly about the importance of these services that, I’ve published a detailed policy paper to the subject. You can read the entire paper here: https://dannyformayor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AVUL2406_Education-Policy-Paper.pdf My approach focuses on six main areas: -Prioritize RPS in the city’s budget -Ensure every school has modern infrastructure, top-notch technology, and excellent principals, teachers, and support staff, so every child can succeed -Support funding for child care, universal pre-K, and wraparound services for families -Expand and improve out-of-school time and career development opportunities for RPS students -Maintain continuous, professional, and transparent communication with the Superintendent and the School Board to address shared concerns and meet our kids’ needs -Advocate for our kids and families at the General Assembly The foundation to success in these areas is a strong partnership between the city and RPS. Together, we evolve our schools into true community hubs, which allows us to effectively engage with other partners who enhance the resources available to our students and their families. Resourcing our students and their families as they work towards their vision of success is the strongest antidote we have against the poisonous effects of generational poverty. Children flourish most completely when their families flourish. And when families flourish, their communities do, as well. Our efforts to make that goal a reality will change thousands of lives for the better.