This week we asked the Richmond’s candidates for Mayor and City Council to describe their ideal development project. This question could be interpreted as an economic development project or a housing development project - either way, it gave candidates a chance to share their vision for building Richmond.

We asked School Board candidates:

“Trailer classrooms, rezoning, and school consolidation can be very controversial. How would you address the overcrowding of some RPS schools, and the under-utilization of others?“

Given current school conditions, we expect this will be a major undertaking for Richmond’s next school board. Candidates’ answers give us a glance at what that process may look like. (Note: school construction was not listed as an option because RPS is not expected to receive additional funds for new construction until FY2029.)

Answers are listed below in the following order:

Community Poll Results
Mayoral Candidates (in the order in which they responded)
City Council (districts 1-9, alphabetical order)
School Board (ditto)

Community Poll Results

On the ‘Ideal Development’

We got the following anonymous submissions:

“Block off Grace Street between 8th and Foushee to create a pedestrian art/theater/dining/shopping mall”
“Get rid of housing projects all together. Have smaller houses/buildings scattered all over the city. They way they are now, it concentrates so much misery that it turns into a feedback loop of awful. Purchase buildings or expand section 8 or build new places.”

On ‘School Capacity’

“Comprehensive Rezoning” won both our Reddit and Twitter polls with 65% and 71% support.

School Consolidation came in second place, with 20% and 18% support.

Your Feedback

We got great short answers on this question, too. I especially loved this thoughtful response from Reddit, which reimagined the land occupied by neighborhood schools in disrepair to meet other community needs and interests:
“We should have fewer school buidlings operating more efficiently across the city. Consolidation offers the opportunity to build new schools in Southside, where population is growing and replace old schools with housing stock or community amenities like parks and recreation centers in areas where there are few to none.”

Mayoral Candidates

Dr Danny Avula

A walkable, mixed-use development on a high-quality transit line, complete with deeply affordable housing and the best taco shop around. Building sustainable, thriving neighborhoods–planned alongside community members–will be my priority (particularly on the Southside).

Maurice Neblett

The ideal development project would be the Richmond City Center Innovation District. It aims to revitalize infrastructure, provide affordable housing, green spaces, and parks without impacting historical landmarks. Transparency , Fisical impact, and R.O.I are key for RVA’s growth.

Andreas Addison

My administration commits to holistic and deliberate neighborhood investment.
Let's build mixed-income housing with child care, libraries, and high-frequency transit as the anchor. New development will bring job opportunities, grocery stores, new sidewalks, and green spaces.

Michelle Mosby

Any project that comes across my desk will need to include a robust commitment to employing and training our local workforce. Additionally, by collaborating with unions, businesses can create a more equitable and supportive work environment for our residents and their employees.

Harrison Roday

There is no such ‘project’. We need to focus on what supports our residents across the entire city. We have amazing people, arts, restaurants, the James, and more. No shiny objects - let’s support people and small biz so that RVA is an affordable, equitable, and fun place to live.

City Council Candidates

Andrew “Gumby” Breton
1st District

Legalize the Museum District! By-right with updated zoning & design overlay to preserve character. Replace tax-subsidies and city-risk-taking with streamlined approval (which is free). Reserve those $$ incentives for deeply-affordable housing and much-needed southside projects.

PAUL GOLDMAN - 1ST DISTRICT

Since you refuse to ask candidates whether they supported the Casino project, and/or the baseball stadium project over fixing schools facilities - a reality test: - whats the purpose of this purely abstract question?

Zac Walker
1st District

My dream project involves providing free pre-K options for all families in the city. This way, families won’t be weighed down by childcare costs, and children can thrive within our community. Moreover, it would contribute to population growth and job opportunities.

Maria Carra Rose
3rd District

My ideal development project would be focusing on the re-write of the zoning ordinance so that we can thoughtfully, equitably & sustainably grow the city using updated zoning. We need this in place to respond to the urgent need for housing, schools and other community resources.

Tavares Floyd
6th District

Inclusive prosperity development that: is ACTUALLY affordable, creates local jobs, engages the surrounding community, preserves historical identity, inspires connection between the existing neighborhood & the broader city - all while making economic sense. Developer restrictions.

Eric Sundberg
7th District

Any project in Richmond should abide by these rules: 1) if a project is for private gain it must not receive public funds 2) if a project is for the public good and receives public funds it must be owned by the public and benefit the public. No more corporate welfare for the rich.

Reva Trammell
8th District

I would like to bring a Coliseum to the 8th district. This will be a magnet to bring restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, jobs and more development in general. Being right off of Interstate 95 it should bring a good amount of tourism to our area.

Frank Wilson
8th District

Having had ample opportunity to hear what the residents of the district want /need, my ideal development will be the one I can deliver on in the timeliest manner while keeping the others front and center working on them in concert, not letting them become an afterthought.

Stephanie Starling
9th District

A vibrant yet diverse entertainment hub that caters to a wide range of interests and demographics such as theaters, concert halls, and performance spaces to showcase local talent and attract national acts since a coliseum is no longer a viable option.

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

Kathryn “Katie” Ricard
2nd District

We need our district to run efficiently and have schools with the best possible learning environments for all students. Decisions must be made with the input of all stakeholders, with full transparency about the pros/cons of consolidation vs. rezoning vs. trailer classrooms.

Ali Faruk
3rd District

I'm open to consolidation of schools if it leads to our children spending their days in cleaner, newer, better facilities that facilitate quality instruction and enrichment.

Kevin Starlings
3rd District

This requires collaborative planning, equitable resources, community engagement, innovative partnerships, and data-driven decisions. We must prioritize student needs, transparency, and creative solutions for a more balanced school system.

Angela Fontaine
4th District

Overcrowding/under-utilization of schools should not correlate with race or socioeconomic status. Every student deserves access to well-resourced schools. This should be addressed equitably using data-driven approaches and community input while promoting school diversification.

Wesley Hedgepeth
4th District

This is a necessary conversation. As your new board member, I will work with my colleagues to direct and support the superintendent in the preparation of a multi-year consolidation plan. Prior to the adoption of any plan, thorough community engagement must occur.

Garrett Sawyer
4th District

This is a multifaceted problem. We must be committed to conversations involving all stakeholders (RPS Admin, School Board, and most importantly parents, students, educators, and administrators) to determine the best pathway forward for RPS.

Stephanie Rizzi
5th District

Right-sizing schools is a challenge. When rezoning, considering transportation and neighborhood dynamics, is essential. A study led by the community, experts and the Superintendent to devise a long-term plan, preserving neighborhood schools when feasible is needed.

Mamie Taylor
5th District

Rightsizing schools create positive learning outcomes and prevent teacher burnout. To begin, I will make data-driven decisions for enrollment. Promote a strong climate and culture for teacher retention. And address the leveling process to attract teachers and reduce class-size.

Dr Shonda Harris-Muhammed
6th District

It has been a unspoken truth that RPS has academic buildings that are under utilized as well overcrowding. Both bring barriers and challengers that require the governance team's attention to detail.
1) Rezoning and 2) school consolidation must be discussed together

PH Cruz Sherman
8th District

These are important issues that MUST be addressed. While I am opposed to the use of trailer classrooms; the board must explore various options to eliminate overcrowding. We must continue to build new schools for the students, teachers principles, and staff!

NO RESPONSE PROVIDED

Matthew Percival (1st - School Board)
Katherine Jordan (2nd - City Council)
Mariah White (2nd - School Board)
Charlene Riley (3rd - School Board)
Kenya Gibson (3rd - City Council)
Ann-Frances Lambert (3rd - City Council)
Sarah Abubaker (4th - City Council)
Stephanie Lynch (5th - City Council)
Willie Hilliard (6th - City Council)
Ellen Robertson (6th - City Council)
Cheryl Burke (7th - School Board)
Cynthia Newbille (7th - City Council)
EJ Jafari (8th - School Board)
Nicole Jones (9th - City Council)
Shavonda Dixon (9th - School Board)

As a reminder, all candidates have been invited to participate via the email address listed on their candidate registration paperwork. If there’s a better way to reach a candidate, please reach out to us at info@rvadirt.com. Thanks!

Many thanks to our participants this week! We appreciate y’all making time to connect with Richmond voters.

We’ll be back next week with our next survey question. Check X/Twitter, Threads, and Reddit for a chance to participate in our community survey to see how your values compare to our aspiring local leaders. Cheers!

Summer Candidate Survey Series: Week 3