Tuesday, June 19, 2018

The council approved a $300,000 spending plan for temporary housing and continued the Richmond Homeless Taskforce, with only Mayor Butt voting no. The council also declared homelessness a public health emergency unanimously, allowing the city to access emergency funding and fast-track housing programs.

The council received the city's budget update and five-year financial forecast, which Mayor Butt opposed in a 6-1 vote. Staff will finalize budget documents for the June 26 meeting to complete the budget adoption process.

The council approved 20 routine items on consent, including awarding $500,000 in environment and community grants to 24 organizations and hiring 7 landscape architecture firms for city projects over 5 years at $600,000 per firm. The consent calendar also included purchasing 37 ballistic plate inserts for $14,000 and hiring consultants for various city services.

Several housing-related measures passed unanimously, including opposing rent increases at Heritage Park senior apartments and approving major changes to the Miraflores residential development plan. The council also required coal and petroleum coke facilities to enclose storage areas to reduce dust and pollution.

The council modified the Point Molate development planning process to expand community input on the 270-acre former naval site. A $325,000 contract with McNabb Construction for a trash enclosure at Melville Square was continued to a future meeting.