Sept. 8 Newsletter: Southside wants sidewalks and schools
Weather: Pleasant with reduced humidity. High of 73.
On this date in 1966, the Richmond Braves, playing their first season under the moniker, win an International League semifinal playoff game. They ultimately finished second in the league.
Today's newsletter sponsored by The Richmond Forum: Where Richmond gathers to explore bold ideas and timely issues through live conversations with global leaders and industry trailblazers, on stage and online.
Mushrooming development on Southside brings sidewalk and school shortfalls into focus
Richmond's 9th District is about to add about 1,000 new housing units, and while officials are excited about that growth, they're warning that the area's infrastructure isn't ready to handle all those new families.
“The areas that are best for affordable housing are also those areas that have suffered from historic inequality,” a representative of a housing company said, noting that developers can't foot the bill and keep housing affordable.
The school district is also bracing for an influx of families in an area where schools are already overcrowded. Read more here.
Richmond officials are overhauling the city’s budget process. Here’s what could change
Richmond’s budget process would get longer and have more opportunities for input by City Council members and residents under a proposed overhaul of how the city crafts its yearly spending plans.
- The process would become 16 days longer, and would include a series of town halls and meetings to gather input.
But a proposal to publish budget requests by department was rejected by the reform committee, which was worried it might politicize the requesting process. Read more on the discussion here.
Virginia Rep ‘trending in the right direction’ after emergency funding call last year
A combination of fundraising, programming and reductions have put the Virginia Repertory Theatre on better financial ground after a $1.7 million deficit led to an urgent appeal last year.
One of the group's main steps to solvency is selling its Hermitage Road building, the former Scottish Rite Temple. The transaction hasn't happened yet, but a Hindu group has asked the city about potential changes to the building (above) if the group was to purchase it. Read more here.
Birthday week reflections
As we celebrate our first birthday this week, we're taking a look back at how we've better informed Richmonders on the city's most important issues and opportunities.
Reporter Sarah Vogelsong looked back at her coverage of affordable housing and Richmond's code refresh, which is updating the zoning codes for the first time in 50 years. Some highlights:
THE NEXT 50 YEARS: Richmond’s zoning overhaul envisions a denser city. What will that look like?
Survey shows ‘generational divide’ in support for increasing density in Richmond
On Chamberlayne Ave., rezoning and rapid transit raise worries about displacement
Affordable housing program makes grants for new, existing projects
It's our birthday week! Will you help us reach our goal of finding 50 new members to support local reporting?
Today's sponsor:
Richmond’s Stage for Ideas
Now entering its 40th season, The Richmond Forum brings bold thinkers and timely conversations to the Altria Theater stage. From challenging America’s two-party system to exploring the future of global leadership, Forum programs invite Richmonders to engage deeply with the issues shaping our world. This October, a special program with financial journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin will examine the Wall Street crash of 1929 and what it can teach us about today’s economic uncertainty.
In other news
- On Faith and Values: Tapping the brakes on the information superhighway
- A guide to appealing your property tax assessment (RVA 5x5)
- Hundreds of Va. students walk out of class in coordinated gun violence protest (Virginia Mercury)
The editor's desk
Greetings from Washington, where at long last football has returned. In addition to bringing home a win, I can confirm that beer, soda and water here is still cheaper than at the riverfront amphitheater.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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