City Government

Richmond Housing Authority Crisis Reflects Long Term Neglect and Mismanagement

Published

11 years ago

March 6, 2014

In recent weeks, the Richmond Housing Authority has been under fire for mismanagement and neglect of it public housing properties, which serve families in 715 units.

According to the Center of Investigative Reporting, reports released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, indicate there have been 16 life-threatening safety violations in the past two years; and there have been continuous reports of rats, roaches, mold and leaks.

Despite the public outcry, all the reports of mismanagement has so far failed to bring change, according to Councilmember Nat Bates, a candidate for mayor.

He says the city has known about the housing issues for years, but there hasn’t been any action. While he appreciates the media shedding light on the problem, he says still nothing has been done.

“All we do is bojangle – stepping, shucking, and jiving,” said Bates, who wants to see the constant stream of meeting and discussion lead to concrete results.

“The Housing Authority staff is predominantly African American, tenant groups are predominantly African American, and we have management staff treating our own people like dogs,” said Bates. “It is an embarrassment.”

Mayoral candidate Uche J. Uwahemu says that the housing authority problem highlights the city’s ineffective leadership.

“The condition of our public housing is embarrassing and clearly shows the gap between leadership and the poor,” said Uwahemu.

Both Uwahemu and Bates argue that Richmond’s Housing Authority is in need of a “competent” housing director.

Tim Jones, executive director of Richmond’s Housing Authority, was contacted for comment but declined to comment.

Jones’ failure to respond angered Bates. “If he has nothing to say he should be gone out the door,” he said.

Richmond Vice Mayor Jovanka Beckles wrote an opinion piece, published in the Bay View about the housing authority crisis. She says it is a symptom of bigger issues affecting residents in the city.

“As long as income disparity remains egregiously high, people will struggle with housing and there will be public housing,” wrote Beckles.” As long as there is public housing, we the stewards of the public funds must be vigilant in ensuring that it is responsibly and respectfully managed.”

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Related Topics:City of Richmind Jovanka Beckles Nat Bates public housing Richmond Housing Authority Tim Jones Uche Uwahemu

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Oakland Post: Week of June 4 – 10, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 4-10, 2025

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5 days ago

June 7, 2025

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Remembering George Floyd

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 2, 2025

Oakland Post

Mural showing the portrait of George Floyd in Mauerpark in Berlin. To the left of the portrait the lettering "I can't Breathe" was added, on the right side the three hashtags #GeorgeFloyd, #Icantbreathe and #Sayhisname. The mural was completed by Eme Street Art (facebook name) / Eme Free Thinker (signature) on 29 May 2020. (Wikimedia Commons)

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire

“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.

The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”

In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.