[Greater Richmond]

The City of Richmond

The City of Richmond seal

Fast Facts:

  • Richmond was home to 229,247 people and had 115,676 housing units in 2023. Since 2010, Richmond has added an average of 1,900 people and 1,300 housing units per year.
  • Fifty-seven percent of households were renters and 53 percent of renters had unaffordable housing costs.
  • Richmond has set local goals to add 2,000 new homeowners with incomes of 50%-80% AMI and 10,000 new affordable rental units by 2033.
Sources: Census Population and Housing Unit Estimates, Decennial Census, American Community Survey (2019-23), and the HIT survey of local jurisdictions.
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The City of Richmond
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Policy Status

Solving the region's affordable housing crisis requires a portfolio of policies to preserve existing affordable housing, produce more housing, and protect people from discrimination and displacement.

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Right of First Refusal

  • The City of Richmond

Preservation Inventory - Subsidized

  • The City of Richmond

Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized

  • The City of Richmond

Rental Assistance Demonstration

  • The City of Richmond

Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners

  • The City of Richmond

Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing

  • The City of Richmond

Housing Outcomes

Local jurisdictions submitted data to enable the region to track housing production, preservation, and rental affordability.

Amount of Housing

Number of units built by type

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,000Units

Note: The City of Richmond did not report total units built in 2024.

Affordability of Housing

Share of units affordable to households with low incomes

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmond

Note: The City of Richmond did not report total units built in 2024.

Housing Cost: Lowest

Units built affordable to households with incomes 0-29.9% of area median

0100200300400500Units The City ofRichmond0
2024

Housing Cost: Low

Units built affordable to households with incomes 30-49.9% of area median

02004006008001,000Units The City ofRichmond37
2024

Housing Cost: Low-Middle

Units built affordable to households with incomes 50-79.9% of area median

02004006008001,000Units The City ofRichmond106
2024

Building Permits for New Construction

Number of units permitted by type

01,0002,0003,0004,000Units2,545The City of Richmond2024
Multifamily
Single-family

Affordable Housing in Development

Number of units

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,000Units3,5831,500The City of Richmond2024
In the pipeline
Under construction

Affordable Housing Preservation

Number of units preserved as committed affordable by type

05001,0001,5002,000Units296The City of Richmond2024
Units with existing subsidies
Units previously unsubsidized

Structural Racism

Discriminatory actions and racist public policies have produced inequitable outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and people of color in the Washington region, including lower incomes and wealth, lower homeownership rates, and higher rates of housing cost burden.

Income

Average household income by race and ethnicity, 2019-23

$0$50,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$ The City ofRichmondRace and ethnicity$111,100$55,000$82,200$78,500$130,200
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white.

Source: American Community Survey

Homeownership

Homeownership rate by race and ethnicity, 2019-23

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmondRace and ethnicity40%36%28%29%53%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white.

Source: American Community Survey

Homebuying

Share of mortgage originations by race and ethnicity, 2023

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmondRace and ethnicity11%8%8%72%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous or Multiple race
White

Note: Categories are mutually exclusive, borrowers identifying as Hispanic are not also represented in a race category. For mortgages with an applicant and a co-applicant, if they identify the same way they are captured in that category, otherwise if they have different identities they would be included in the Indigenous or Multiple race category.

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Credit Denials

Ratio of denial rates for mortgages between white borrowers and borrowers of color, 2023

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

00.20.40.60.81Ratio The City ofRichmond0.253

Note: If White borrowers and borrowers of Color were denied mortgages at the same rate we would expect to see a ratio equal to 1. Values under 1 indicate that borrowers of Color have higher denial rates than White borrowers.

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Rental Housing Cost Burden

Renter households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in rent, 2019-23

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmondRace and ethnicity39%60%43%47%43%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white. Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Owner Housing Cost Burden

Owner households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in housing costs, 2019-23

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmondRace and ethnicity26%32%19%20%20%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white. Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Housing Context

Understanding how household incomes relate to the supply of affordable rental and homeownership units will inform jurisdictions' efforts to meet the current and future housing needs of residents.

Household Income

Distribution of households by income level relative to the area median income, 2019-23

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmond20%13%20%17%16%14%
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2023.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Change in Household Income

Change in households by income level relative to the area median income, 2008-12 to 2019-23

-5,00005,000Households The City ofRichmondIncome level-1,0004703,3503,9604,5906,980
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Incomes are in 2023 dollars. Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2023.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Renter Housing Supply by Cost

Renter housing units by monthly housing cost, 2019-23

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmond14%34%43%6%
$0-$799
$800-$1,299
$1,300-$2,099
$2,100-$2,599
$2,600-$3,099
$3,100 and higher

Note: Rental costs include the contractual monthly rent payment plus any additional costs to the tenant for utilities and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Change in Renter Housing Supply by Cost

Change in renter housing units by monthly housing cost, 2008-12 to 2019-23

-5,00005,00010,00015,000Change in Units The City ofRichmondRent level-2,890-2,69013,3802,070
$0-$799
$800-$1,299
$1,300-$2,099
$2,100-$2,599
$2,600-$3,099
$3,100 and higher

Note: Costs are in 2023 dollars. Rental costs include the contractual monthly rent payment plus any additional costs to the tenant for utilities and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Housing Cost Burden

Renter households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in rent, 2019-23

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmond53%

Note: Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Deeply Affordable Units

Estimated number of public housing units and vouchers relative to renter households with incomes below 30% of area median, 2019-23

020406080100Per 100 households The City ofRichmond41

Note: Estimated number of units and vouchers is for 2024. Vouchers include federally-funded Housing Choice Vouchers and locally-funded vouchers where information was available. Income is for 2019-23 and based on the 2023 HUD Income Limits by family size.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS); HUD Picture of Subsidized Households 2024; and HUD HCVP Power BI Dashboard

Need for Accessible Units

Number of households with one or more people with a disability by income level relative to the area median, 2019-23

02,0004,0006,0008,000Households The City ofRichmondIncome level6,4203,1602,6901,5901,700960
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2023. People will a disability includes those with cognitive disabilities, physical or self-care disabilities, ambulatory disabilities, independent living difficulties, vision disabilities, or hearing disabilities.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Homeowner Housing Supply by Cost

Owner housing units by monthly housing cost for a first-time homebuyer, 2019-23

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmond16%23%12%12%7%31%
$0-$1,299
$1,300-$2,099
$2,100-$2,599
$2,600-$3,099
$3,100-$3,599
$3,600 and higher

Note: Costs for owner housing were calculated as the monthly payment for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage for 90 percent of the market value to the unit, along with estimates of other monthly costs including mortgage insurance, taxes, utilities, and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Affordable Homebuying

Share of mortgage originations to households with moderate incomes and below, 2023

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

020406080100Percent The City ofRichmond34%22%
0-80% of area median
80-120% of area median income

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Potential Homebuyers

Number of potential homebuyers with low or moderate incomes by race and ethnicity, 2019-23

For renter households with a head of household age 45 years or younger and incomes between 50-120% of AMI

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,000Households The City ofRichmondRace and ethnicity3005,7008008006,900
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are mutually exclusive, borrowers identifying as Hispanic are not also represented in a race category. Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2023. Renter households with a head of household under age 22 were excluded.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Elected Officials

  1. Nicole Jones

    Nicole Jones

    Council Member - 9th District

  2. Sarah Abubaker

    Sarah Abubaker

    Council Member - 4th District

  3. Kenya J. Gibson

    Kenya J. Gibson

    Council Member - 3rd District

  4. Andrew S. Breton

    Andrew S. Breton

    Council Member - 1st District

  5. Dr. Danny Avula

    Dr. Danny Avula

    Mayor

  6. Reva M. Trammell

    Reva M. Trammell

    Council Member - Richmond Southside 8th Voter District

  7. Cynthia I. Newbille

    Cynthia I. Newbille

    Council Member - Richmond East End 7th Voter District

  8. Ellen F. Robertson

    Ellen F. Robertson

    Council Member - Richmond Gateway 6th Voter District

  9. Stephanie A. Lynch

    Stephanie A. Lynch

    Council Member - Richmond Central 5th Voter District

  10. Katherine Jordan

    Katherine Jordan

    Council Member - Richmond North Central 2nd Voter District

Housing Officials

  1. Merrick Malone

    Merrick Malone

    Director, Department of Housing and Community Development

  2. Steven B. Nesmith

    Steven B. Nesmith

    CEO, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA)