The Richmond Affordable Housing Trust Fund Application deadline is Jan. 21. For more information, click here . ~ Mayor Jones and City Councilwoman Robertson Announce 2015 awardees ~ Applications for the 2016 Affordable Housing Trust Fund program are due by Jan. 21, 2016.  Activities eligible for AHTF award include housing related support services, pre-development costs, new construction, property acquisition, rehabilitation costs, relocation and conversion of non-residential to residential development. On Dec. 7, Mayor Dwight C. Jones and Ellen Robertson, Richmond City Council 6th District and Chair of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Oversight Board, announced the City’s 2015 AHTF awardees. The 2015 AHTF awards, totaling nearly one million dollars, are expected to generate more than $23.5 million in affordable housing development in the city and nearly 200 new and rehabilitated affordable housing units. In addition, special housing related services will be provided to mor

Beginning with the first utility bills in January 2016, natural gas customers of the city of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) will see a savings on their monthly utility bill.  Mayor Dwight C. Jones has authorized DPU to lower the Purchased Gas Cost (PGC) portion of the natural gas utility bill from $0.425 to $0.325 per Ccf (100 cubic feet). Other components of the natural gas bill – the distribution charge and customer charge – are unchanged.    The PGC rate of the average residential customer who uses 70 Ccf’s of natural gas per month will pay approximately $71.11 compared to a current bill of $78.11.  This equates to a 24 percent reduction in the PGC rate charged by the City and an overall ten (10) percent reduction in the entire natural gas bill.  At the time of this release, DPU’s PGC rate is less than or equal to surrounding natural gas franchises. Mayor Jones stated, “This is more good news for our customers. We are always pleased when we are in a position to offer

On Monday, Jan. 4, Mayor Jones, 4th District Councilwoman Kathy Graziano, and Debra Gardner, DCAO for Human Services kicked off the Grand Opening of the Huguenot High Community Center and launched the Community Schools Initiative. This initiative was designed to establish Richmond public schools as community “hubs” that promote academic achievement, personal wellness, and family and community stability. “We knew that schools can be the nucleus of a community if they are open to everyone – days, evenings and weekends – and not just seen as a place where only teachers teach and students learn,” said Mayor Jones. “By utilizing these facilities to bring services, not just to the students, but to the communities at large, we are providing a bridge to health care, to social services and to community resources.” Services available include social services, health services, family engagement and parent education, recreation, after school, senior programs, tutoring and mentoring. The integr