The Richmond City Council today is set to discuss giving an extra $2 million to a local housing project.
This money would go toward the Civic Center Apartments, which is a plan to turn the old Motel 6 on 24th Street into 48 permanent homes for people who have been homeless for a long time.
Construction started with demolition work in Summer 2025, but crews found serious problems once they started tearing down parts of the old motel, according to city officials. They discovered that water had leaked into the building for years, rotting the wood framing and the outside walls. Because of these hidden issues, the project now needs expensive repairs for mold, asbestos, and broken sewer pipes.
If the council approves the request, the total city loan for this project will increase from $8.3 million to $10.3 million. This local money is being used alongside $14.5 million in state Project Homekey funding.
The project is part of a larger city goal to quickly create more affordable housing by fixing up existing buildings rather than starting from scratch.
The Richmond City Council meeting starts at 5 p.m. at 440 Civic Center Plaza.
