RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority Commissioner Barrett Hardiman is calling for a change in leadership after a tense meeting over the future of Gilpin Court’s redevelopment.
CEO Steven Nesmith had a different takeaway from the meeting, which he described as a positive step, saying he got what he needed: a resolution affirming he should keep negotiating with the mayor and City Council.
“I can not give vote on something right now that gives permission that I’m not reading,” Hardiman said.
“I feel empowered, that’s what’s important,” Nesmith said.
The RRHA Board of Commissioners said they still haven’t received a formal redevelopment plan in writing from Nesmith. Instead, they said they have only seen a draft of the Section 18 application, which is the federal paperwork needed to tear down public housing and secure temporary vouchers for residents. They said the draft lacked key details.
“We have a whole lot of questions,” Commissioner Dyanne Broidy said. “We need to know where is the relocation plan where is the people’s plan.”
Nesmith added a resolution to the agenda midday Wednesday asking commissioners to authorize him to move forward with the application, redevelop Gilpin in stages, and keep negotiating with city leaders. He argued the resolution would strengthen his position at the negotiation table and help secure funding.
RRHA needs the mayor and council to agree with the plan for redevelopment because a letter of support must be submitted with the federal application. That support was in limbo after Mayor Danny Avula and Councilmember Kenya Gibson raised concerns about transparency and residents’ rights in an earlier plan.
“We had a breakdown of those conversations. I believe something is very simple because you don’t have the authority to do it. Think about the distrust right now. That is all I hear. what the board has or has not done, quite frankly,” Nesmith said. “It’s a simple statement that this board support this CEO to go forward.”
Nesmith said the resolution would help the authority be proactive in securing funding. He argued the commission didn’t need the full plan yet because he would return with updates.
“That is putting the cart before the horse,” he said.
Nesmith mentioned his plan would include 10 to 12 phases with commissioner and public input at each step, but commissioners said no details were provided. In the end, the board voted down his resolution.
“I can not vote on something right now that gives permission that I’m not reading when I already feel like he can negotiate because I don’t know what that is going to say,” Hardiman said.
Some commissioners argued the vote wasn’t necessary because the bylaws already give the CEO authority to negotiate.
“It is not necessary to do that, and I’m hearing time is of the essence. So instead of doing this resolution maybe we should get everyone together the administration, city council the ceo into a room and hammer out the details and bring us back a finalized disposition application that we can move forward with,” Commissioner Kyle Elliot said.
After further debate, the board passed a scaled-back resolution authorizing Nesmith only to continue negotiations with the mayor and council.
“The real question is, do the RRHA board of commissioners support the CEO, me, to continue with conversations, and I got the majority vote on yes, and I’m happy,” Nesmith said at a press conference after the meeting.
When asked if the public would get the details of the redevelopment plan, Nesmith said, “As you know there is something called FOIA. I mean, yes I think the broader public ought to know what’s in it. We don’t have any problems with that.”
Nesmith declined to comment on Hardiman’s call for a change in leadership.
The Board Chairman said in a statement: “I have polled the Board of Commissioners which has resulted in a strong-majority vote of confidence for the leadership of CEO Nesmith and his team. We recognize that complex redevelopment projects generate differing viewpoints, but the Board’s focus must remain on advancing solutions that serve our residents and the city. We appreciate the dedication and expertise that Mr. Nesmith brings to this endeavor.”
Watch: Renters and advocates speak out about Gilpin Court redevelopment plan
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