Document Type

Professional Plan Capstone

Original Publication Date

2018

Client

City of Richmond, Planning & Preservation Division

Location

Richmond, Virginia

Date of Submission

May 2018

Abstract

The City of Richmond has been experiencing population growth and rising housing costs in recent years, leading to spatially uneven revitalization and growing affordability concerns. The historic neighborhoods in the city are part of what makes Richmond unique and a desired city to live in. Many historic neighborhoods are seeing rapid revitalization contributing to rising housing costs and displacement concerns, while others have persistent high vacancy rates and deteriorating historic buildings. Overall, residents across the city struggle with affordability, as 45% of city residents are cost-burdened. With these conditions, it highlights the need and opportunity to put strategies in place to expand and maintain affordable housing options within historic neighborhoods. This requires an improved connection between affordable housing and historic preservation, as the two goals have a tendency to conflict with one another when working in historic neighborhoods.

With three interdependent goals that create a cyclical process, this housing and historic preservation policy plan aims to set up an improved engagement and collaborative infrastructure with residents and stakeholders, creating an environment where new policies can be more successful. Aligned with Richmond’s new master planning process, this plans goals are to 1) improve engagement and education methods, 2) establish new collaborative structures for stakeholders to develop strategy around shared goals, and 3) develop new policies and regulations. The implementation of these three goals and maintenance of the process will contribute to the city’s ability to preserve historic character while providing equitable and affordable housing opportunities across the city.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

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