Community Benefits Policy Development

On June 8, 2021, the Richmond City Council directed City Staff to solicit feedback and engage in comprehensive community outreach to draft a city-wide community benefits policy to be completed by October 2021, with the public and City Council providing input during (2) City Council Study Sessions prior to final presentation. In addition, City staff were directed to issue a Request for Qualifications for professional services consultants with experience developing Community Benefits Agreements to support with the development of the city-wide community benefits agreement to be brought to City Council in July 2021. This website will be used to provide background information and updates on the development of the policy.  

Updates: Community Benefits Policy Community Meetings

The City Manager’s Office, Economic Development held Richmond Community Benefits Policy - Community Meetings. The meetings covered learning about the development of a city-wide Community Benefits Policy and participants shared their ideas and priorities for what should be included. Attendees had an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

  • Community Input Meeting 1 Date: Wednesday, October 13, 2021 Time: 6:00 PM 
  • Community Input Meeting 2 Date: Thursday, October 14, 2021 Time: 12:00 PM

Servicios de interpretación en español estában disponibles a petición al registrarse.

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City Council Meetings Documents

Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Awarded

On July 27, 2021, the Richmond City Council approved a contract with Renne Public Law Group to provide professional services to develop a city-wide Community Benefits Policy with the term ending October 31, 2021 for an amount not to exceed $100,000.

Renne Public Law Group Scope of Work: 

  1. Meetings with City project team. Includes kickoff meeting and extensive internal policy development meetings, including but not limited to standing weekly meetings.
  2. Meetings with City officials (department heads, Council members, etc.). Targeted meetings to obtain key perspectives and policy priorities.
  3. Support community engagement process. The team will help prepare agendas and public materials, attend stakeholder meetings, and integrate public input into the overall engagement. RPLG and EA can perform this function regardless of whether a local partner is engaged to drive and facilitate community engagement processes.
  4. Review and analysis of existing City policies and approach on community benefits issues. Includes review of City's relevant ordinances, policies, and related documents.
  5. Community profile data-gathering. Includes review of City services and delivery systems (including "gaps") relevant to community benefits issues; may require interviews. 
  6. Review of relevant practices and precedents from other jurisdictions. 
  7. Draft Community Benefits Policy proposals and related materials. This task is the essential written work product of this engagement, aimed at synthesizing public input, perspectives and priorities of City staff and officials, best practices from other jurisdictions, review of current City approaches, and the experience of the consulting team. The policy development process will likely involve multiple iterations of written proposals and related fact sheets, presentation of options, etc. 
  8. Council & Public Review. We anticipate that the Council will want to review and weigh in on the Community Benefits Policy at one or more meetings. The City team may request additional meetings with stakeholders as well. At all such meetings, the RPLG and EA teams can assist in presentation of the Community Benefits Policy (or options, or toolkit, as appropriate). 
  9. Project Management & Team Communications. Managing a project of this complexity, within budget and on an aggressive timeline, requires focused project management and coordination of consulting team with many City actors. (RPLG/EA.).