‘I was disappointed’: RRHA CEO responds to Mayor’s disapproval of Gilpin Court redevelopment plan

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) CEO Stephen Nesmith shared his disappointment with Mayor Danny Avula's opposition to RRHA’s plans to redevelop Gilpin Court.

"Instead of being at the negotiating table, we're all here today," Nesmith said in a press conference Friday, Sept. 12, as he addressed the Mayor's statement which rejected RRHA's proposal.

On Thursday, Mayor Avula outlined eight requirements that must be met before he can support the Gilpin Court redevelopment plan.

RRHA previously announced plans to transfer ownership of Gilpin Court, a public housing development, from being owned by the RRHA nonprofit to its private corporation, Richmond Development Corporation (RDC).

One significant stipulation made by Avula requested RRHA withdraw its plans to move Gilpin to RDC “until major concerns” are met regarding the corporation's structure. Avula suggested the leadership of RDC be restructured to include more community stakeholders and fewer RRHA staff.

In response, Nesmith said a public housing resident would be appointed to the RDC board as a voting member. Nesmith also revealed that RRHA’s new plan will move forward without relying on RDC, although the housing development was relying on the transfer to help fund the redevelopment.

“We are going to continue to find out ways to not use the RDC, but let me be very clear — the RDC is the entity, the engine to bring in capital,” Nesmith said.

Nesmith declined to comment on which requirements RRHA disagrees with, but acknowledged that some of the stipulations make sense.

"I read the eight points from the mayor, I think many of them make sense," he said. "Some of them we have already integrated in our new plan that we put forward."

While Nesmith said he's an agreement can be reached, Gilpin Court residents who attended the meeting say they left with several unanswered questions.

"We would like to see something in writing and something that could be law abiding and is approved by the mayor, the city and also the residents as well," said Kiera Harris, a Gilpin Court resident.

The RRHA's vote on the new plan was initially scheduled for Sept. 17 but Nesmith said it's unclear if the vote will be postponed given Avula's pushback.