Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority establishes ombudsman position

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) announced Tuesday that an ombudsman position has been established within the Affordable Housing department.

The housing authority is not bringing in a new person for the role, and have instead chosen Dasmyne Harrison -- the current executive assistant to the senior Vice President of Affordable Housing -- to have an expanded role and serve as ombudsman.

The function of an ombudsman is to establish communication between residents and landlords for the purpose of voicing concerns while providing fair and impartial assistance, per the RRHA release.

“This new position is an important step forward in ensuring that resident voices are heard and that concerns are addressed fairly, respectfully, and with accountability,” said Corey Franklin, Senior Vice President of Affordable Housing. “By combining executive-level support with the Ombudsman function, RRHA is strengthening both its operations and its relationships with the communities we serve.”

Residents are encouraged to bring concerns to Harrison, as the ombudsman, to identify recurring challenges as well as put forth recommendations for improvements within programs and services offered by the RRHA.

For more information about the new role and the functions it serves, click here.