The City of Richmond is beginning preparation of the fiscal year 2014-15 Annual Consolidated Plan for the allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds.  The Federal funds are entitlement dollars allocated to the City through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for neighborhood development and supportive services.  Only applications for projects within the City of Richmond will be considered, except for HOPWA funds for which the City administers funds for the entire Metropolitan Statistical Area. Application packages will be available by November 25, 2013 on the City’s website at http://www.yesrichmondva.com/neighborhood-revitalization/Federally-Funded-Programs   Applications packages will also be available at the Main City Library located at 101 E. Franklin Street.  All proposals and applications must be...

The City’s annual Vacuum Leaf Collection Program begins on Monday, November 11.  The schedule for the first cycle is as follows:  Worthington Farms                     November 11 - 15 Northside/Highland Park November 11 - 22 Bellevue/Ginter Park/Washington Park November 11 - 29 Bellemeade November 18 – 22  Westover Gardens  November 18 – 29  Newtowne/Carver/Jackson Ward November 25 – 29  Broad Rock/Brookbury November 25 – December 6 The Fan/Shaffer December 2 – 6   Westover Hills/Forest Hill/Woodland Heights December 2 – 13  Museum District December 9 - 13 Church Hill/Fulton December 9 - 20 Stony Point December 9 - 20 Windsor Farm/Univ. of Richmond/Far West End December 16 – January 3 Maymont/Byrd Park/Oregon Hill/Carillon December 23 – 27 Stratford Hills/Willow Oaks December 23 – January 3 ...

~ Vehicles without authorized parking passes will be ticketed and/or towed~ During the Tuesday, November 5 general election, special on-street parking restrictions will be in place near polling locations in order to accommodate chief election officers and those working the polls.  Parking will be prohibited in the following downtown areas from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. November 5 and on Wednesday, November 6, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.:  Three parking meters on 1 st Street, on the west side of the Main Library All parking meters on 9 th Street and 10 th Street between Broad Street and Marshall Street North side of Marshall Street between 9 th Street and 10 th Street All meters will be marked accordingly. In addition, Hermitage Methodist Home at 1601 Palmyra Avenue is a polling location.  Special parking will be designated on the north side of the 1600 block of Palmyra Avenue from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday only.   Unauthorized vehicles will be ticketed and...

WHO:         Mayor Dwight C. Jones                   Cynthia Newbille, Richmond City Council - 7th District                   Harriet Coalter, Director, Richmond Public Library                   Dr. Brenda Drew, Vice-Chairman, Richmond Public Library Board of Trustees                   Veronica Holloway, East End Library Community Services Manager                   Dr. Sandra Mobley, East End Library Advisory Council     WHAT:      Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the newly renovated East End Library WHEN:     Tuesday, October 29, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. WHERE:   1200 North 25th Street            ...

The City of Richmond advises absentee ballot applicants of technical difficulties with receiving faxed applications from 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 24 until 3 p.m. on Friday, October 25. During that 25 hour period, the fax machine was inoperable and the Office of the General Registrar did not receive faxes. Persons attempting to send faxes during that time frame may not have received notification that the fax was not received. The Office of the General Registrar believes the delayed faxes were all recovered. However, the City advises anyone who faxed an Absentee Application to the local registrar on October 24 or October 25 to check on-line at www.sbe.virginia.gov or with the local registrar’s office to verify that your application has been received. The deadline for filing absentee ballot applications by mail for the upcoming election is Tuesday, October 29, 2013, at 5 p.m. eastern standard time. The deadline to apply and vote absentee in person is Saturday, November 2, 2013, at 5 ...

The Central Virginia Emergency Management Alliance will host a Regional Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Exercise on Saturday, October 26, 2013. The City of Richmond Office of Emergency Management will oversee the training. Approximately 90 volunteers will be participating from localities including the cities of Richmond and Colonial Heights and the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico, Dinwiddie and Louisa. The exercise will give CERT members, who are all volunteers trained in emergency response, an opportunity to test their skills, including search and rescue, fire suppression (simulator), triage, medical treatment, patient transportation and structural cribbing, learned during their original training sessions. The exercise will be held at the Hickory Hill Community Center, 3000 East Belt Boulevard from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises like these, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following...

Chesterfield, Henrico, Prince George County, and Richmond Police, and Dinwiddie and Hanover Counties Sheriff's Offices have joined forces with the Central Virginia Crime Prevention Association and Shred-it to offer residents this free Crime Prevention Month program. When: Saturday, October 26 Where: Richmond Police Veterans' Hospital (VAMC Medical Center - Rear entrance) (1201 Broad Rock Blvd.) Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Call Office Kimberly Cheatham-McClarin at 646-6754 for more information.

The City of Richmond is extending the public review and comment period for its proposed amended 2013-15 Consolidated Plan budget and its proposed amended 2013-14 Annual Action Plan budget that began on September 27, 2013 and will be extended to November 25, 2013.   The Plans will serve as a comprehensive planning document discussing Richmond’s community development and housing needs with particular emphasis on the provision of decent housing, a suitable living environment, assisting and preventing homelessness, assisting special needs community, and the expansion of economic opportunities, particularly for low and moderate income persons.  The four HUD entitlement programs for which the City of Richmond receives funds are: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).  The HOPWA funds are allocated to the City to administer for the Richmond-Peter...

Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the City of Richmond have invited Artspace Projects, Inc., America’s leading nonprofit developer of affordable spaces for artists and creative workers, to Richmond to conduct a Community Needs and Use Assessment with artists and community members. The outcome of the visit will help determine the community’s specific needs in terms of space and amenities, affordability and location preferences for multi-use, affordable and sustainable facilities for artists. The public is invited to attend a free informational meeting regarding a potential new arts oriented development in Richmond on Thursday, October 24, 2013, at 7 p.m. at the Plant Zero Poetry Slam Stage, 400 Hull Street . Those who attend the meeting will have the chance to share their thoughts and provide feedback about any future project and its affect on Richmond’s art and business communities. Ideas and suggestions gathered at the meeting will be used by Artspace to gauge...

Ceremony Also Highlights Revitalization of Chapel Island and Advancement of Riverfront Plan WHAT: Ribbon cutting ceremony for the Virginia Capital Trail western trailhead at Great Shiplock Park and revitalization of Chapel Island WHO: Mayor Dwight C. Jones, City of Richmond Cynthia Newbille, Richmond City Council, 7 th District Charles Donato, Board of Directors Chairman, Virginia Capital Trail Foundation Dr. Norman Merrifield, Director, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities WHEN: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 2 p.m.   WHERE: Great Shiplock Park  2603 Dock Street Richmond, VA 23223 BACKGROUND:   The Virginia Capital Trail Foundation and the City of Richmond jointly announce a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Virginia Capital Trail western trailhead at Great Shiplock Park. The ceremony will also highlight the revitalization of Chapel Island, to include the addition of a non-motorized boat launch, a half-mile trail, and signif...

WHAT:           City of Richmond Inaugural RISE! Achievement Awards WHO:             Mayor Dwight C. Jones                         Chief Administrative Officer Byron Marshall City of Richmond Employee RISE! Achievement Award Recipients WHERE:        John Marshall Hotel, Virginia Ballroom                         101 North 5th Street                         Richmond, VA 23219 WHEN:          Monday, October 7, 2013 at 3 p.m. BACKGROUND: The purpose of the City of Richmond Employee Recognition Program (City Administrative Regulation 7.8) is to provide a framework for regularly demonstrating general appreciation of City employees and for rewarding exemplary service and commitment to th...

WHAT: Maggie L. Walker Initiative for Expanding Opportunity and Fighting Poverty WHEN: Tuesday, October 1, 2013 Noon to 2 p.m. WHERE:    City Hall                    900 East Broad Street                    5th Floor Conference Room                    Richmond, VA BACKGROUND: This meeting of the Maggie L. Walker Initiative for Expanding Opportunity and Fighting Poverty (previously known as the Mayor’s Anti-Poverty Commission) will feature a presentation by Dr. Ted Howard. Dr. Howard is the founding Executive Director of the Democracy Collaborative at the University of Maryland and is a national leader in the fast-growing field of community wealth building and policy development. He also serves as the Minter Senior Fellow for Social Justice with The Cleveland Foundation and was the driving for...

The 17th Street Farmers’ Market is evolving and the City of Richmond is requesting input from residents and businesses as to how the new public space will look and function. Two community workshops will be held to gain this input with the first being on Tuesday, October 1 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the second on Wednesday, October 2 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The meetings will take place on the second floor of Main Street Station, 1500 East Main Street. The workshops are an outgrowth of the effort began by the City in 2010 when the Department of Economic and Community Development worked with the community and Shockoe stakeholders to develop a revitalization strategy for the area. The community desired a more open urban space at the public market that would serve the vendors on market days, continue to serve large events, but also support a wider range of community and family-oriented programming.  In FY 2013 and FY 2014, the City supported the concept and Mayor Dwight C. J...

Mayor Dwight C. Jones invites the public to join in a Day of Service and Remembrance on Wednesday, September 11, 2013, in recognition of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The event will be held outside of Marshall Plaza at 900 East Marshall Street. The formal event will begin at 8:45 a.m. with the ringing of bells and moment of silence. Following the formal event, there will be an opportunity to learn more about emergency preparedness through a training session held by the City of Richmond’s Office of Emergency Management, as well as guided tours and learning sessions in the City’s Mobile Command Post and the mobile Fire Safety House. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn Hands-Only CPR with our partners from Richmond Ambulance Authority. There will also be volunteer opportunities throughout the day. Volunteer registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. before the formal event. For more information about volunteering throughout the year, visit www.RichmondGov.com/neighbort...

Major road changes are scheduled to begin on Monday, September 9, to permanently remove the 8th Street Connector. The re-routing of 8th Street marks the second of three phases of road modifications taking place ahead of construction of the $110 million Gateway Plaza building on East Canal Street between 8th and 9th Streets. Once the 8th Street Connector closes, motorist traveling on 8th Street will turn left onto East Canal, travel east on the new, one-block, two-way portion of East Canal and, then turn right at 9th Street onto the bridge approach.  Canal will remain as two westbound lanes, with the anticipation of opening a temporary third through lane, abutting the Gateway site, in several weeks.  Completion of the second phase is expected by early October. Signage will be posted instructing motorists of detours and changes in traffic patterns throughout each phase of the traffic conversions.  All related traffic and road work should be completed by early November.

=In observance of Labor Day, City government offices, including City Hall, will be closed on Monday, September 2, 2013. City offices will reopen at regular business hours on Tuesday, September 3, 2013. Monday’s Labor Day closings include all branches of the Richmond Public Libraries and all Department of Parks and Recreation community centers. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday. Refuse collection will not take place on Monday as the City’s Solid Waste Management Division will also be closed. This closure will result in a one-day delay of refuse collection for the week, as the collection schedule will begin on Tuesday, September 3 and continue through Friday, September 6. The East Richmond Road Convenience Center and Hopkins Road Transfer Stations are also closed on Monday, September 2. Each facility will resume its normal schedule on Tuesday. For more information on City services and schedules, please visit www.RichmondGov.com .

The City of Richmond, in partnership with Chesterfield County, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and the Virginia based planning and design firm Rhodeside & Harwell were recently honored at the annual conference of the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-VA) with an Outstanding Plan Award for their Comprehensive Revitalization Plan for the Hull Street Corridor.   APA-VA awards recognize specific individuals, organizations, firms and/or communities for outstanding contributions to planning in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Any APA-VA member may nominate plans, projects, programs, individuals, or organizations for one of a limited number of awards. Recipients are chosen to receive awards based on their strengths in these five categories: innovation, transferability, quality, implementation, and comprehensiveness. The Hull Street Plan’s capacities in these five categories, as described below, merited its selection. Innovation: The...

~ OEM also Continues to Train Internal Departments ~   On Saturday, August 10 the City of Richmond Office of Emergency Management will start the latest Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training class.  The CERT training program is designed to educate people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. Dates:             August 10, 24 and 31(All Saturdays) Time:              9 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day Location:        Richmond Ambulance Authority           ...

In accordance with HUD citizen participation requirements, a 30-day public comment period to amend the 2018-2013 Consolidated Plan and 2012-2013 Annual Action Plan will begin on August 1, 2013, and will expire on September 5, 2013.  By this notice the City of Richmond announces the availability of the proposed amended 2008-2013 Consolidated Plan and 2012-2013 Annual Action Plan for public review and comment.   Further Notice is also given that on Monday, September 23, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers, the Richmond City Council will hold a public hearing on the Mayor’s proposed Amended 2008-2013 Consolidated Plan and proposed amended 2012-2013 Annual Action Plan budget for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) programs.  The HOPWA funds are allocated to the City to administer for the Richmond-Petersburg MSA. The Plan will s...

Starting August 2, the RVA Shoppers’ Shuttle schedule and fare rate will be adjusted. The shuttle service will now include a nominal fee of $4 per round trip. This minor adjustment will help ensure that this valuable community resource continues to be available to residents. The RVA Shoppers’ Shuttle was a recommendation of the Mayor’s Food Policy Task Force and has been serving residents in neighborhoods classified as food deserts gain access to healthy, nutritional, fresh food. The shuttle was put in place, as a pilot program, in February of 2012. The shuttle has five routes that run on the second and ninth day of each month and the third Saturday of each month. The RVA Shoppers’ Shuttle serves the areas of Hillside Court, Fay Tower, Creighton Court, Fairfield Court, Mosby Court, Whitcomb Court, and Fulton. All pick-up locations have a final destination of the Walmart SuperCenter at 2410 Sheila Lane. Click here to view a full schedule of the RVA Shoppers’ Shuttle.

The Metro-Richmond area’s response to last week’s call for training camp Ambassadors has been tremendous. More than 800 individuals have applied to the Ambassador program after the City of Richmond’s Neighbor-To-Neighbor initiative and the Washington Redskins requested a core group of 100 volunteers to be Richmond Training Camp Ambassadors. As a result of the strong response and anticipated attendance, the Redskins are doubling opportunities to participate in the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Camp by modifying their original plan of 35 volunteers per shift to 70 volunteers a shift. As a result, the application process will be extended to 5 p.m. tomorrow, June 28. To register or to obtain a complete list of details about this fantastic volunteer opportunity, please visit www.richmondgov.com/NeighborToNeighbor . Selected individuals will serve as Ambassadors for one of two time slots per day, either 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or from noon to 6 p.m., throughout the four week traini...

The City of Richmond’s Neighbor-To-Neighbor initiative and the Washington Redskins are looking for a core group of 100 volunteers to be Richmond Training Camp Ambassadors. Ambassadors will volunteer for one of two time slots per day, either 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or from noon to 6 p.m., throughout the four week training camp period. The training camp will begin on July 25 and conclude on August 16. The Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center is located at 2401 West Leigh Street. “Richmond Training Camp Ambassadors will help put the best face on our city and its many amenities as they assist visitors and showcase the very best the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Camp has to offer,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. When Richmond Training Camp Ambassadors work a certain benchmark number of shifts, they will be rewarded based on the following scale: Three shifts worked receive a Washington Redskins Pin; Five shifts worked receive a 2nd Washington Redskins Pin; Seve...

The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities (PRCF) is again partnering with the USDA’s Summer Meals for Kids Program. This free program provides children and teens (up to 18 years old) with nutritious breakfasts, lunches and dinners during the summer months. Even if your child does not participate in one of the City’s PRCF summer camps, your child can still participate in the USDA Summer Meals for Kids Program. Walk-ins during meal times are always welcome. For a list of locations, please click here .  Currently, we have 119 sites registered for the 2013 Summer Meals for Kids Program. New locations are welcomed and those interested should call (804) 646-5698 for more information.

Bring your refreshments, blankets and chairs and enjoy a movie in a city park this summer. The City’s Department of Park, Recreation and Community Facilities will again present Movies in the Park every Friday evening this summer. This year’s flicks include Madagascar 3, Rise of the Guardians, Paranorman, Hotel Transylvania, The Amazing Spiderman, Brave, Cirque Du Soleil, Jack the Giant Slayer, and Oz the Great and Powerful. Please click here for a full listing and I look forward to seeing you in a city park this summer.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones and the City of Richmond Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities proudly present the 57th Festival of Arts at Dogwood Dell 2013. For more information, please visit www.richmondgov.com/parks .

PUBLIC HEARING City of Richmond FY 2013-15 Three Year Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice Thursday, June 20, 2013 6:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Main St. Station City of Richmond Department of Economic and Community Development 3rd Floor Large Conference 1500 E. Main St., Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23219 The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) requires that all entitlement communities develop a Three or Five Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice Action Plan.  This document combines the planning, application and reporting requirements for four HUD entitlement programs for which the City of Richmond receives funds: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). In order to prepare this plan, the City must have input from the citizens of Richmond, particularly low and moderate income residents, on needs in the are...

It's smart to get ready for hurricane and flash flooding season, which arrives June 1. And it's smart to save money. Your can do both by shopping for such products as batteries, food storage containers, generators, first aid kits, bottled water, radios and more between  May 25 and 31 . When you do, you will not pay sales tax on may useful products that cost up to $60 or on generators costing $1,000 or less. A complete list of exempt items is available  www.tax.virginia.gov/salestaxholiday . Purchasing supplies is important, but it's critical to make a family emergency plan. Protect your family now by making a plan .  Read more about hurricanes at the  Virginia Department of Emergency Management .

WHO:             Mayor Dwight C. Jones                         Charles Samuels, Richmond City Council President, 2nd District  Basim Mansour, Son and Owner of Michael & Son Services                          WHAT:           Rededication of former Wyeth Pharmaceutical building WHEN:          Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. WHERE:        1405 – 1407 Cummings Drive Richmond, VA BACKGROUND:  A rededication event will be held Wednesday, May 22 to mark a new chapter in the former Wyeth Pharmaceutical building located in the city of Richmond at 1405 – 1407 Cummings Drive. The building will now be called The Michael & Sons Center. The 336,000 square foot building, which sits on 11 acres, will lease modern and conveni...

The City of Richmond is extending the public comment period for its 2013-15 Consolidated Plan and its 2013-14 Annual Action Plan until May 12, 2013.  These documents combine the planning, application, and reporting requirements for four HUD entitlement programs for which the City of Richmond receives funds: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).  Comments, written and verbal, may be provided to Mr. Daniel Mouer at the Richmond Department of Economic and Community Development, 1500 E. Main Street, Room 400, Richmond, VA 23219, (804) 646-7025, Daniel.Mouer@richmondgov.com . In addition, a public hearing for these documents will be held by Richmond City Council on May 6, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. (this is a change in time from previous notice) in Council Chambers located in City Hall, 900 E. Broad Street. The City of Richmond does not discriminate on the bas...