RICHMOND, Va. β Richmond City Council will vote Monday night on whether to approve $5.8 million in restitution for a man wrongfully imprisoned for more than 40 years. However, the decision has sparked debate over transparency and the city's commitment to affordable housing.
Marvin Grimm spent over four decades behind bars for a murder he did not commit and is now owed justice under a new state law.
"I lost 96% of my adult life," Grimm said. "I missed out on all the things that most folks take for granted. Weddings, birthdays, family trips, and holidays with family."
The vote comes after a July letter from Gov. Glenn Youngkin warning that Richmond must pay Grimm or risk losing state funding. The new state law mandates localities match Virginia's restitution payments when misconduct is involved.
WATCH: Richmond plans to pay $5.8M to wrongfully convicted man after 45 years
Council's organizational development committee voted 6-3 last week to recommend the payment, but not before heated debate during and weeks prior over funding sources.
City leaders propose using a reserve fund built from the sale of tax-delinquent properties. The fund has grown to more than $9 million since 2020.
However, while a 2021 ordinance allowed up to $1 million annually from that fund to go toward affordable housing, not a single dollar has ever been used for that purpose, according to city leaders.
"The affordable housing we would have used these revenues for is tremendous," Ellen Robertson, who represents the 6th District on city council, said.
A spokesperson for Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said that no ordinance has been passed to allow the city to allocate money from that fund to affordable housing. Officials maintain the law allows it to happen, but doesn't require it.
"The mayor is deeply committed to addressing the city's affordable housing; meeting the housing needs of the growing city is one of Mayor Avula's pillars and he's incredibly invested in the range of options and resources to support this, including partnering with council on meeting legislative requirements," the spokesperson said.
"Nothing can restore the decades of life he lost. We are committed to taking action and moving swiftly to see this through," the spokesperson added.
Council members say the process shows a need for more accountability and regular reporting.
"Council staff has been charged with the responsibility of us looking at least a frequency of reporting on legislation, the status of it," Robertson said.
"We have a new administration and we have work to do," Robertson said.
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