All results / Stories / Jeremy M. Lazarus
Church collecting basic necessities for incarcerated people
A Church Hill congregation is seeking to dramatically expand its efforts to provide care packages of toiletries and underwear to people who are incarcerated, it has been announced.
Shine bright like a Diamond
RDP developers win $2.4B, 15-year, mixed-use project in baseball district
After years of talk, Richmond is ready to launch the huge Diamond District redevelopment of 68 acres of mostly city-owned property in North Side
No answers yet on why new Richmond schools costs to be higher than many other locales
Richmond is preparing to spend $140 million to build three new schools financed by an increase in the city’s meals tax — $30 million more than the school system first projected and far in excess of what most school divisions are paying for new buildings.
Bon Secours deal with city crumbles on Westhampton school building
Outgoing Mayor Dwight C. Jones has long complained that he never received proper credit for the deal he crafted with the Bon Secours hospital system that brought the Washington pro football team’s training camp to Richmond.
Governor vetoes bills ahead of April 10 deadline
Richmond and other localities can still, if they choose, require employers with government contracts to pay workers a “living wage” that is well above the current $7.25 an hour federal minimum wage. However, the state will not be creating an experimental, independent school system where students in kindergarten through 12th grade could take all of their classes on a home computer or laptop.
Absence of motion?
Center City and Diamond District development proposals show little movement
Slow going. That appears to be the situation for the two largest development projects that involve City Hall.
City’s hourly ‘living wage’ to rise to $12.07 under mayor’s proposed pay plan
More than 3,800 employees at City Hall, from janitors to executives, will be affected by the long-awaited overhaul of the city’s pay plan that Mayor Levar M. Stoney is expected to introduce Monday, Jan. 7, to Richmond City Council.
Church to become regional private school for children with disabilities
A former church is about to become the new home of a regional private school that serves children with autism and other mental challenges.
City council extends tax deadline, provides winning formula for babies
Richmond residents have gained a 60-day extension on the deadline to pay vehicle taxes and the city license fee on vehicles, and hundreds of Richmond mothers frantically seeking to buy baby formula will gain significant help through a new initiative.
Richmond Circuit Court clears way for ballot initiative on schools vs. Coliseum
The Richmond Circuit Court this week cleared the way for political strategist Paul Goldman to launch a challenge to a brewing $1.2 billion proposal to replace the 47-year-old Richmond Coliseum.
Virginia House-Senate disagreement threatens proposed minimum wage hike
One of the biggest fights in the waning days of the General Assembly involves raising the minimum wage from the current federal $7.25 an hour.
Nonprofit regional partnership works to tackle housing affordability issues
Soaring housing costs are leaving tens of thousands of families across the Richmond region hard-pressed to pay the rent or purchase a residence.
$6M: Richmond spending much more than Chesterfield on new schools
Richmond apparently will spend at least $6 million more on building two new elementary schools than Chesterfield County is having to pay, according an update report the Joint Construction Team provided to the city School Board Monday night.
New program to create jobs, new homes and opportunity
Buy vacant lots in depressed sections of Richmond. Then have small, black-owned construction firms fill the lots with modern, affordable homes that can sell quickly while creating jobs for nearby residents.
New city shelter for the homeless?
For the past four winters, men and women who lack shelter have streamed into the shabby and increasingly vacant Public Safety Building near City Hall to spend the night when temperatures fall below 40 degrees.
House blocked for female felons
City Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson has been a champion of affordable housing during her 11 years on City Council. The 6th District representative, who previously led a nonprofit housing group in the Highland Park area, has been a staunch advocate for creation of lower-cost homes and apartments for working people and others.
Council members concerned about latest utility rate hikes
Like a steady drip, drip, drip, the cost of utility services is continuing to rise in Richmond at a double-digit pace, outpacing inflation and raising concerns among some about affordability.
GRTC workers strike deal on new contract
GRTC bus drivers and mechanics have approved a new contract that will boost their pay $1.10 an hour over the three-year life of the agreement, or an average of 2.2 percent. Both the transit company’s management and the union representing about 285 hourly workers are hailing the agreement that followed 10 months of quiet, but tough negotiations.
Adjustments in City’s pension plan may take six or more years
City Hall’s 4,200 retirees likely may wait years before seeing another cost-of-living adjustment in their pensions.
Councilwoman hopes proposed changes to City Charter find support
Under proposed changes to the City Charter or constitution, City Council would gain new authority over housing subsidies and real estate tax relief to residents with low to moderate incomes, in addition to setting its own compensation and modi- fying zoning. Fifth District Councilwoman Stephanie A. Lynch hopes to gain unanimous support from her eight colleagues at the Monday, Dec. 11, council meeting for the changes she has negotiated with Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administration. If passed by the council, the package would be sent to the General Assembly for approval in the upcoming 2024 session. Many of the changes follow recommenda- tions that a council-created Richmond City Charter Review Commission submitted Aug. 2 after a year of study. As the most significant package of charter changes proposed since the 2004 creation of a mayor elected citywide, the amend- ments do not address the current relationship between the council and the mayor ahead of the 2024 elections for the governing body and chief executive. The biggest proposed change could well be the tax and housing initiatives that the charter review commission did not address. The proposed Section 2.09 amendment would allow the city to defer property taxes and tax increases for qualifying low or moderate income property owners, using the definition of such individuals established by the Virginia Housing Development Authority, now known as Virginia Housing. Such a program could allow the taxes to accumulate over time to be paid off from proceeds after the property is sold. In addition, the proposed charter change would authorize the city to create a program that could help such qualifying individu- als buy a home or receive rental subsidies. The city also could use state or federal funds to advance such initiatives. The charter amendment also would declare the creation of programs that could provide funds directly to individuals for housing to be “in the furtherance of a public interest” to get
