RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) and the City of Richmond are launching a new initiative aimed at cleaning up the city’s six largest public housing communities while holding both residents and staff accountable for keeping neighborhoods clean.
The RVA Clean Sweep Initiative begins at 7 a.m. Saturday, with crews from the city’s Department of Public Works, the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and RRHA fanning out across the Big 6 communities to remove trash and improve neighborhood conditions.
The initial cleanup will focus on 51 identified trash hot spots in Fairfield, Gilpin, Hillside, Mosby, Whitcomb and Creighton courts.
For Gilpin Court resident and community health worker Charlene Riley, the effort reinforces work she’s been leading for years.
“I have met some very nice people. Some beautiful families, good kids,” Riley said.
Over the past six years, Riley has organized neighborhood cleanups, encouraging residents to take pride in the community they call home.
“Even though we do reside in public housing, we don’t have to mirror those negative stereotypes,” Riley said. “What can we do for ourselves and our community to help and be better? Cleaning up trash — all of that stuff contributes to your mental environment.”
On Wednesday, RRHA leaders met with maintenance staff to discuss the upcoming cleanup and what officials say will be a long-term effort—not just a one-day event.
CEO Steven Nesmith said residents who repeatedly dump trash outside designated collection areas could face lease violations. He also said RRHA maintenance employees will be held accountable for keeping communities clean.
“We’re going to tell the residents going forward, if you’re just going to throw trash bags on the ground, you’ll be held accountable, and it could be a lease violation,” Nesmith said. “We’ll have accountability with our maintenance ,as well.”
During visits to Fairfield and Mosby courts, I observed trash piled along curbs, where residents said illegal dumping is a common problem.
Nesmith said complaints from residents, along with concerns raised by Richmond City Council President Cynthia Newbille and Councilwoman Nicole Jones, helped spark the initiative.
“I don’t know why residents are consistently taking bags of trash and just dropping them on the ground and walking away,” Nesmith said. “Our residents are saying, ‘Mr. Nesmith, you’re the leader. What are you going to do about this?’”
Riley said some of the litter comes from people who don’t even live in RRHA communities.
“RRHA does have a problem with trespassing,” she said. “We’ve had people come out here and have whole cookouts. They bring tables, lawn chairs, and then they just leave all this trash and debris.”
In addition to removing litter, RRHA staff will begin placing towing notices on abandoned and illegally parked vehicles. A safety team will also address roaming dogs after a recent dog bite incident in Gilpin Court.
“We just had a biting incident [Tuesday] of a loose dog in Gilpin,” Nesmith said. “We can’t have that. We must have responsibility. This is all part of just making public housing safer and cleaner.”
City and RRHA officials say the cleanup is designed to produce lasting improvements.
After Saturday, the Department of Public Works will add a dedicated weekly trash collection route to service identified hot spots for the next three to six months, while RRHA will increase property management oversight, resident engagement and enforcement of lease provisions related to litter and illegal dumping.
Officials say the initiative is one of several future collaborations between the city and RRHA and aligns with Mayor Danny Avula’s People Plan, which emphasizes stronger partnerships to improve services and quality of life for Richmond residents.
“This initiative reflects what can happen when partners come together with a shared commitment to improving the lives of our residents,” Nesmith said in a statement. “Together, we are taking meaningful action to create cleaner, safer neighborhoods while building a culture of shared responsibility that will benefit residents for years to come.”
Residents are encouraged to properly dispose of household waste, use designated trash collection areas and help keep common spaces clean.
Riley hopes Saturday’s cleanup is just the beginning.
“Let’s keep striving, y’all. Let’s keep cleaning, and let’s just work day by day, brick by brick, to improve our overall community,” she said.
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