Richmond will soon be $154 million richer, thanks to the federal American Rescue Plan. At a City Council meeting yesterday, the Office of Public Information and Engagement shared how Richmonders can use their voices to share thoughts on how the money will be used.

Last week, Mayor Levar Stoney introduced the “Build Back Better” plan, which was the result of the first round of public engagement efforts. The plan would allocate funds to a variety of efforts, including an affordable housing trust fund, improvements to community centers, and addressing stormwater drainage issues. It is divided into 6 sections of building back: “homes,” “healthier,” “for our kids,” “stronger,” “greener,” and “safer.”

A screenshot of a map of proposed projects around the city. | Photo by RICtoday

The draft spending plan is a public document which you can read + provide feedback on via a survey. The survey is now open and will be distributed in a variety of ways, including through flyering, email campaigns, and community ambassador walk-arounds.

The Office of Public Information and Engagement will also host several in-person meetings to discuss the spending plan around the city. The meetings are scheduled as follows:

Tues., Sept. 28 | 6:00 p.m. | Southside Community Center, 6255 Old Warwick Road
Thurs., Sept. 30 | 6:00 p.m. | Diversity Richmond, 1407 Sherwood Avenue
Mon., Oct. 4 | 6:00 p.m. | Boys and Girls Club Metro Richmond Teen Center, 1830 Creighton Avenue

The online survey will continue to accept responses until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 4. The results of the survey should be reported Oct. 7-8.