Dear Richmonders,
I am writing to welcome you back from what I hope was a safe and joyous holiday season, and to share my reflections on another great year in the City of Richmond.
We have made significant progress in public education, community engagement, housing, economic empowerment, transportation, public safety, and service delivery. I am thrilled about everything we accomplished in 2018 and will continue to build upon in 2019.
Below are just a few of the things we achieved by working together over the last year:
2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Worked with partners to ensure that, by 2020, all elementary and middle school students have access to high-quality after school programming
- Raised $150 million to break ground on three new public schools that will open in Fall 2020
- Submitted a Capital Funding Plan to City Council, which provides $800 million over 20 years for RPS capital projects
- Launched RVA311 and created the Office of Citizen Service & Response to better meet residents’ needs
- Repaired over 25,000 potholes, 1,300+ alleys and 1,500+ sidewalk trip hazards; repaved 80+ miles of road; and, opened the Franklin Street bike lanes
- Reopened the 17th Street Farmers’ Market and Monroe Park
- Received highest Municipal Equality Index score card in VA and named a MEI All-Star for being a city boldly leading the way toward LGBTQ equality by the Human Rights Campaign
- Announced an agreement in principle to redevelop the Navy Hill neighborhood which, if approved, will provide nearly 700 units of affordable housing, $300 million in minority contracts, and 21,000 jobs
- Broke ground on affordable housing developments in Jackson Ward and Church Hill, and secured a commitment for public housing in Manchester
- Partnered with GRTC to provide free bus passes to all RPS high schoolers and provide free rides on Election Day and New Year’s Eve
- Launched the BRT/Pulse, which has nearly doubled ridership projections
- Extended operating hours of five community centers
- Conducted extensive community outreach for the Richmond300 Masterplan
- Successfully completed the work of the Monument Avenue Commission and created the city’s first History and Culture Commission to implement recommendations and devise a citywide strategy for managing historical and cultural assets, including Shockoe Bottom
- Proclaimed August 25-31 as Black Breastfeeding Week in the city
- Established an extended family and paid parental leave policy for city employees of up to eight weeks
- Led the March for More on December 8 to demand additional state funding for public schools, securing the largest increase ever in the Governor’s budget
- A top 10 U.S. travel destination for 2018 – Lonely Planet
- One of the 10 coolest U.S. cities to visit in 2018 – Forbes
- One of Trip Advisor’s Top Destinations on the Rise
- One of the “hippest cities in the U.S. everyone under 30 want to move to” – Business Insider
- One of 18 cities that must be seen in 2018 – Expedia
- #34 of Bicycling Magazine’s top 50 best bike cities in US
None of this would have been possible without your support and engagement -- and the time, talent, and ideas you offered as Richmond continues to grow into an even more inclusive, diverse, and welcoming city. I could not do my job without learning and hearing from you, the heart of our city. We also owe a huge thank you to the 4,000 hardworking members of our city workforce – those who do the work that keeps our city running and helps turn our vision into a reality.
I look forward to continuing to work alongside all of you in 2019. We still have much work to do, but together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. I am excited about the opportunities ahead for our city. Please accept my wishes for a happy, healthy, safe and successful year ahead, and let’s make it happen in 2019!
Sincerely,
Mayor Levar M. Stoney
