May 23 Newsletter: New housing vouchers paused
Weather: A pair of beautiful, cool days kick off the weekend. Look for rain to potentially move through starting Sunday evening.
On this date in 1975, WCVE begins its annual fundraising auction, which includes a number of antiques and pieces of historic significance, but also 500 pounds of bananas, a keg of nails and 10,000 cigarette coupons, according to a Times-Dispatch article.
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Trustward powers over 100 nonprofits and mission-driven businesses with our outsourced finance and accounting services. We bring clarity, efficiency, and integrity to organizations’ finances, so they can focus on serving our community.
Richmond public housing authority stops issuing new vouchers amid funding strains
Housing vouchers, formerly known as Section 8, are on hold right now for 395 families who had previously been selected.
- Last year the city only used $41 million of its $42 million allotment, causing a reduction in this year's funding.
- “We are putting vouchers on the street,” the RRHA's CEO said. But “landlords are saying — I’m just being real with you — ‘I’m not accepting those people.’”
Rising rental costs are also straining the program. There have not been any Trump administration cuts yet, but the administration has proposed eliminating the national voucher program and replacing it with state-run programs. Read more here.
James River adventure-turned-documentary finds TV distribution on VPM
Justin Black and his friends never set out to make an award-winning documentary when they dipped their paddles in the Cowpasture River for the first time in May 2021.
Four years later, their two-part series about floating the length of the James River, "Headwaters Down," is available nationally on the PBS App.
Read more and learn how to watch here.
Richmond rises to 16th place in nationwide park rankings
After a 22nd place showing last year, Richmond is on the rise again in the Trust for Public Land’s annual rankings of the park systems operated by the nation’s 100 most populous cities.
- 81% of residents now live within a 10-minute walk of a park.
- Per capita parks and recreation spending rose over the past year from $135 to $186.
Also today in The Richmonder
Richmonder Staff
Richmond Free Press
Graham Moomaw
Richmonder Staff
Today's sponsor
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The nonprofits and businesses we serve work in affordable housing, education, advocacy, and other essential areas. If an organization you care about needs help with finance and accounting, Trustward is here to help. We focus on the books — so you can focus on the mission! Learn more here.
In other news
- Two baby giraffes are missing from the Natural Bridge Zoo. The state alleges the former zoo owner threatened to shoot veterinarians and the current owner hoped one giraffe expert would be killed. (Cardinal News)
- Update: CultureWorks Changes Funding Event Format (Style Weekly)
- Corporations pull sponsorships from Virginia's largest Pride event (Axios)
The editor's desk
As the holiday weekend approaches, the anticipation continues to build on Mayor Danny Avula's announcement of who will serve as his CAO. It's a hire he has to get right, but the need to get started in reforming city government has arguably never been greater. Oh, and he's already 10% of the way into his term as mayor. It's something that will be closely watched in the coming days and weeks.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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