Oct. 9 Newsletter: Richmond's annexation history, new affordable housing, and tax policy takes center stage

Weather: A beautiful day ahead, sunny with a high of 76

On this date in 1916, the 11th edition of the modern Virginia State Fair opens, but there are fewer livestock exhibits due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. The fair took place on the site of the present-day Diamond.

Today's newsletter sponsored by: Virginia Commonwealth University. As a top 20% global university, Virginia Commonwealth University is an unparalleled powerhouse of innovation and creative problem solving. VCU attacks challenges as opportunities to do what others can’t or won’t. It's truly a university unlike any you’ve ever seen.

Interactive map: How Richmond city grew through the years

Before 1971, cities were allowed to annex land from neighboring counties, helping the city of Richmond grow as its population expanded.

Richmond has annexed land 11 times, most recently a large chunk of Chesterfield County in 1970. Take a look at our interactive map and watch how the city has grown.

(The General Assembly extended its ban on annexation through 2032 during last year's session.)

Six Points area of Highland Park is becoming an affordable housing hub

The Six Points area of Highland Park is poised to get even more affordable housing after Enterprise Community Development broke ground on its third major project in the neighborhood on Oct. 2, Sarah Vogelsong reports.

Green Park Apartments, which will sit at the corner of East Brookland Park Boulevard and Woodcliff Avenue, will create 43 low to moderate income apartments and 3,000 feet of street-level commercial space.

• That's in addition to the 66-unit Highland Terrace, completed this summer, and the 77-unit Highland Park Senior Apartments, completed in 2016.

“The competitive advantage that we’ve had as a city for years has been affordability,” Mayor Levar Stoney said. “Unfortunately, with the influx of new residents coming in with disposable incomes that are high, the highest that we’ve ever seen in the city’s history, that affordability is now relative.”

Read more, including renderings of the new project

Weather updates: Fall colors in Virginia ready to put on a show

Sean Sublette has the scoop on when the area's leaves will start turning their golden hues. He says warmer temperatures have delayed peak leaf season, with Charlottesville's peak season now forecasted at Nov. 1 and Central Virginia to follow.

After the cool spell this week, there will be a quick spike in afternoon temperatures both Saturday and Sunday, with each day in the 70s to near 80. Then the coolest air so far this season comes in next week.

Starting around Tuesday next week, afternoons will average in the lower 60s with lows tumbling well down into the 40s. It is far too early to suggest a freeze is ahead next week, but some spots of frost in rural areas outside of the city is not an unreasonable idea. Read more, including the latest on Hurricane Milton's impacts.

Stoney proposes one-time tax rebate as alternative to lowering rate

Mayor Levar Stoney’s administration wants to send all Richmond property owners a one-time tax rebate payment next year instead of lowering the city’s real estate tax rate permanently, as has been proposed.

The size of the rebates would vary based on property values. For the average homeowner with a property worth $366,163, it would work out to a roughly $150 rebate, Graham Moomaw reports.

Stoney also proposed two additional relief programs.

• The Gap Grant Pilot Program provides up to $200 a month for six months to low-income residents who spend more than 30% of their yearly income on housing.
• The Richmond Freeze Program allows homeowners 65 or older, or those who are permanently disabled, to be exempt from tax increases, permanently freezing their assessment at current levels.

Get reaction from City Council members, who will debate the plan this Thursday.

Today's sponsor:

VCU Health is icing out ALS

A decade after the first ice bucket challenge, the VCU Health ALS Clinic is ramping up research diagnosis and treatment on the national stage.

The VCU Health ALS Clinic tripled in size since inception in 2011. It is the largest clinic in the commonwealth. “We went from having a very small research footprint to being a destination research program for the entire region,” said Kelly Gwathmey, M.D., director of the clinic. Read more.

VCU and VCU Health, uncommon by design. See more ways VCU and VCU Health are a powerhouse of creativity and innovation.

In other news...

• Henrico registrar rejects Elon Musk repost questioning Henrico voter turnout in 2020 election (Henrico Citizen)
• VCU is conducting a lot more research. Students, taxpayers foot some of the bill. (Times-Dispatch)
• Richmond finance worker reported tax refund concerns 2+ years ago, but investigation drags: 'It's astounding' (CBS 6)

The editor's desk

It's become clear that affordable housing is one of the top issues on the minds of Richmonders entering the heart of election season. An influx of people moving to Richmond from D.C., New York and elsewhere have brought big-city spending power into the market, and it will take years to fully understand the effects.

Keeping Richmond affordable will also be key to keeping locally developed talent from leaving the city after graduation - with VCU, UR, VUU and others pumping out future workers, we stand to benefit, as long as we can keep the region attractive and affordable.

Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org